


Warp a Starry Sky

by gatekat, Verilidaine



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Arranged Marriage, M/M, Mech Preg, Sticky Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-11 20:49:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5641396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatekat/pseuds/gatekat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verilidaine/pseuds/Verilidaine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Skywarp is chosen for a royal's trine, he has no idea just how different things are in that flock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Best of a Worst Case

Thundercracker landed with exactly six kliks to spare before he was due at joor thirty eight in his home inside the royal palace of Vos. He wasn't the least bit surprised that his trinemate wasn't out to greet him. Starscream could be counted on for many things, both good and bad, and one of them that was both was to completely ignore the concept of time when he was working. Fortunately the brilliant young Seeker had the rank and finances to have a servant that ensured he had fuel and whatever else he needed.

Unfortunately it meant that more often than not when it came time, Thundercracker had to go into the study and drag him out. Occasionally it was literally by the wing. At least it wasn't a surprise anymore, Thundercracker mused to himself as he palmed open the door to his Vision's workspace. Starscream was in there, hunched over his desk, completely engrossed in something or other.

"Come on," he said. "It's time for our meeting."

"Ten more kliks," Starscream said. 

"Then we run ten kliks late. I have to take time off for this too," Thundercracker granted him the time and settled in a chair to watch. It wasn't exactly a hardship to watch the smaller, lighter Seeker at work. Starscream was lovely when he focused, whether in flight or in thought. Tiny movements of wings, flaps and control planes brought a soft smile to Thundercracker. He was willing to admit he liked it when his trinemate was happy. Plus, when he was happy there wasn't any screeching and nothing in their household had to be disrupted.

"There," Starscream said, saving his work and standing up. "Is it really that time already?"

"Yes," Thundercracker stood and walked up to him to stroke one of those slender wings that spoke so clearly of Starscream's speed. He leaned in for a kiss. "And we do actually have to talk this time."

"Ah, very well," Starscream said, canting his wings into the touch as they walked together towards their berthroom. "What about this time?"

"Our Action. My kin are becoming agitated in how long it is taking us. I expect the next warning will come with an introduction and bonding date," Thundercracker warned, still giving Starscream's wings teasing touches.

"They're very insistent, your kin," Starscream hummed. "So if there aren't any introductions yet, we still have time to choose? I do _not_ want to let those busybodies pick for us, it could turn into a nightmare." 

"Agreed. Thus the importance of choosing tonight," Thundercracker drew his Vision against him for a kiss that was slow to build but ended molten. "We work well together. I would have a similar third."

"I like us," Starscream agreed readily, hooking his arms around Thundercracker's neck. "Have anyone in mind, or is there a list of pre-approved candidates we'll be going through?"

"Yes," Thundercracker rumbled deeply and slid his hands along Starscream's sides before turning away to lay comfortably on the berth on his back and extend his arms to his mate. "A score that will pass muster and passed a quick glance I gave them over fuel."

"Mm, alright, then let's make this on the quick side so we can give them a longer look," Starscream said as he climbed up and straddled his trinemate. "This is--mm--this is our life we're deciding on." His valve cover slid back. 

"I know," Thundercracker slid his hands up sleek white thighs to red hips while his spike cover slid open and his spike peaked out eagerly. "We'll both think better without this charge nipping at us."

"That is a good point," Starscream said, rocking his hips against the emerging spike. "Anything you're in the mood for, or is this fine?"

"This is more than fine," Thundercracker's rumble deepened. "You put on such a show above me."

"There you go with your dirty talking," Starscream chuckled and sank down onto Thundercracker's spike with a pleasured sound and arching of wings. "Always a nice touch." 

"Ahh, only the truth. I should show you what you look like some time," Thundercracker grinned and rolled his hips into the slick heat that so eagerly welcomed him. "It would fry your circuits."

Starscream smiled and hummed as he rolled his hips. "I know. You don't look bad yourself," he said, then braced himself against Thundercracker's shoulders and groaned with the next sink onto the spike. "When the semester's over, let's get something longer on the schedule to play around with." 

"I'll make arrangements," Thundercracker agreed willingly. It wasn't as if spending time together when they weren't working was a chore. "Perhaps after the Lord's Ball? It'd be nice to wind down."

"That should work," Starscream said. "I'll be done with grading term papers by then, and I'll still have time after that to submit mine." His fingers clenched down. "It--mm--hang on, let's hold that thought for a klik." 

Thundercracker merely moaned his understanding and willingness as Starscream began to ride him hard. Every external movement was matched by internal ones and he put his full focus on driving up at the exact pace his mate set. It was a place he loved going, where his impossible-to-silence processor stilled and locked onto a singular task. That it felt great was an extra bonus. That the view was this good was just too much.

When they both put their focus to it, it didn't last long, either. It was getting rid of a charge--in an entirely enjoyable way that both were grateful to have found--but it wasn't much more than that. Thundercracker appreciated the priority that they both placed on efficacy.

"So--fragging--good," Starscream gasped. 

"Yes," Thundercracker agreed as his vision began to crackle with static and white out. His hands gripped Starscream's hips tighter, but did nothing to control his movements. Not even when the berth and entire room began to vibrate with the subsonic roar of the blue Seeker closing in on his overload. It was only a few thrusts later that Starscream was rewarded with the first of many bursts that triggered and pushed heated charge deep into his innermost valve nodes.

It made Starscream seize and cry out above him as his own overload hit and they both fully enjoyed the way their frames came together, squeezing and pushing, until it was all over and Starscream rolled off of Thundercracker onto his back, panting and staring at the ceiling.

"Pit that's always good," he said. 

"Always is, with you," Thundercracker replied lazily. They remained their for a full klik as their frames cooled some and the last of the overload charge dissipated before each reached for cleaning supplies to tend to their messes, then check the other for hard to reach spots. "Ready to look over those Actions?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Starscream said, rolling over on his stomach and reaching over Thundercracker towards the nightstand for a cube of low grade. As he sat up to sip it, Thundercracker retrieved the second cube and relaxed against the headboard.

"Any of them stand out to you?" Thundercracker asked as he handed one of two datapads he'd pulled from subspace to Starscream.

Starscream snorted. "No. They all look way too excited to start a _family_. How'd you pick me, anyway? I know I did my best to blow the personality interview." 

"That was obvious," Thundercracker rumbled with amusement. "I saw a Vision who would be happy to lead an existence largely independent of me and wasn't egg-crazy, but also wasn't a complete psychopath. You had all the qualities I could wish my creations to have without the needy nature of most Visions."

"Hm." Starscream gave a lazy, pleased smirk. "So we need an Action who isn't going to be an overprotective nightmare, happy to live independently..." He hummed thoughtfully. "Smart would be nice though we _are_ talking about Actions here." 

"The smartest one is Skywarp, though it's questionable how much of his processors he actually has access to," Thundercracker reached over to pull up the profile. "If he only activates his gift's hardware when he's planning to warp, he's on par with us. If he leaves it active, well, he's about as smart as a grounder."

"Didn't score very high on personality," Starscream hummed. "Scouts didn't like him very much at all."

"They didn't like you, either," Thundercracker reminded his Vision with a faint smile.

"And I worked very hard to make sure that happened, thank you very much." Starscream looked through a couple other files before returning to Skywarp. "Seems unattached. Powerful gift." 

"Agreed. My only concern is that he doesn't seem to have a focus yet, but he's young," Thundercracker hummed as he thought. "Young enough that we could likely shape him into a perfect Action for us."

"I'm sure he can find a hobby he likes," Starscream said. "Processor speed like that, he'd glitch with boredom without it." He skimmed to the bottom and checked a few more numbers. "Trine compatibility is ranked pretty low, that's a good sign for us." 

"Agreed," Thundercracker's wing twitched with excitement. "What do you see that goes against him, for us?"

"Not much expressed interest in sparklings," Starscream said. "But as long as you don't care that you'll be raising them that's fine with me." 

"Again, he's young," Thundercracker pointed out. "Though no, I don't mind. I don't expect there will be many, unlike my sire and the Winglord."

"I promise three, no more," Starscream said. "Any beyond that will have to be discussed. So besides being young and not sure of what he wants in life, anything you're not liking or that doesn't work for you?"

"Mmm, I can't say there is," Thundercracker admitted. "He's attractive too."

Starscream grinned. "Fast, gorgeous, intelligent creations. That'll put me in good standing with your kin at least." He rolled his optics. "Nitpicky fussy glitches." 

Thundercracker's laugh rumbled through the room. "It would certainly help, as would not calling them nitpicky fussy glitches."

" _They_ can't hear me," Starscream said to another deep rumble of amusement. "Anyway, you agree with me. So Skywarp it is." 

"I will inform them in the morning," Thundercracker set the datapad aside and nuzzled Starscream. "Stay in the berth or go flying?"

Starscream gave his chronometer a startled glance. "I thought that would take longer," he said with surprise. He sat up and stretched. "A frag in the sky sounds nice, work for you?"

"Definitely," Thundercracker agreed readily and smoothly rolled off the berth. "Catch up when you feel like it," he gave his mate a playful wink and made a running leap out the berthroom balcony.

Starscream rolled his optics. "Fragger," he said to no one, before following after and diving off the balcony to join. 

* * *

::Skywarp, get your misplaced tailfins to the eyrie right now.:: Sirrus pinged his wayward creation as soon as the royal representative left.

A moment later Skywarp appeared next to him, covered in glitter. "What?" he asked. 

"What ... no, I do not want to know," Sirrus scowled at him. "A representative of the Winglord visited. One of his primary flock has asked for you as trine."

"Uh ... what?" Skywarp said, optics widening.

"It's wonderful news, darling," Res said excitedly. "You'll be in a powerful trine, you won't have to worry about credits, ever."

"I'm ... you said the _Winglord?_ " Skywarp asked. 

"Specifically his heir apparent has asked for you for his eldest Order," Sirrus elaborated. "Thundercracker is a first generation noble unless and until his sire becomes Winglord. It is no certain thing he will advance."

"I'm still trying to figure out why he wants _you_ ," Sunchaser flicked his wings. "I love you, creation, but you are not socialized to their level."

"Neither is Thundercracker's Vision," Sirrus shrugged. "It does not matter. We have agreed. A tutor will be here in the morning to ensure you can make it through the ceremony."

"...What?" Skywarp's wings drooped. "I didn't think anything so serious..."

"Love," Res said, taking his creation's face in his hands and touching their helms together. "This is an amazing chance for you. We can't afford for you to be untrined, and you can't afford to be untrined anymore, either. This is a good thing."

"I just didn't think anyone that _important_..." Skywarp muttered. "I'm not good enough for the Winglord's family!" 

"Obviously the Order making the choice believes otherwise," Sirrus reached out to grip Skywarp's shoulder. His field showed his stress, but also how much he cared for his creation and wanted the best for him. "Find out why the Order wanted you and you'll see that you are. Thundercracker clearly has a preference for the working class."

Skywarp looked worriedly between his creator trine, meeting their reassuring gazes. "He has a working class Vision?"

"Middle class," Sunchaser said. "Thundercracker picked him a few vorns ago."

"So I'd complete the trine and then sparklings?" Skywarp said, warming a little to the idea. "I guess they probably want them soon?"

"I would expect so," Res smiled at the improved mood. "His fully trined kin are rather prolific. You would have a gravid Vision to guard and then little Seekerlings," he grew excited at the prospect himself.

"I would barely know what to do," Skywarp said, looking a little bewildered at the thought.

"You have one of the most naturally protective instincts I've ever seen in an Action," Res said, smiling. "You'll know." 

"That much I'm sure of," Sunchaser agreed firmly. "You're a good Seeker, Skywarp. A solid Action."

"And trined to Thundercracker you won't suffer as much for your difficulties," Sirrus sighed. "Honestly, as stressful as this is, it will be for the best. You'll be well provided for, and the gifts being offered will stabilize the entire flock in the middle class if we manage it right."

Skywarp nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah it would help a lot," he said. "I guess I don't really have a choice?"

"You can say no," Res said, and flicked his wings at Sirrus's scowl. "And don't you dare tell him otherwise, he _can._ "

"Until the ceremony," Sunchaser said.

"I mean, I don't really have a choice if I want to help and if I want a solid trine," Skywarp said. 

Res's wings drooped a bit. "We could manage something."

"But no, not really. It is an incredible offer, an incredible chance. Skywarp, your creations will be second generation nobility if you accept," Sirrus's wings spoke of just how much he was still working on grasping that concept. "Everything we know says he's a good mech and solid Order. He'd never be his flock Order's successor if he wasn't. Not in that flock."

Skywarp nodded again. "Okay," he said. "But do I have to have a tutor?"

"Unfortunately," Sirrus set his wings firmly. "None of us know what you need to know for the ceremony. Even if Thundercracker is low key his status means this is a big event. You have to perform it correctly."

"And you _can't_ mess this up," Sunchaser said. "You'll have to learn about what they expect in their household. The happier they are with you, the better off it's going to be. So if you're going to do this, you _can't_ mess it up."

Skywarp nodded again. "I won't," he said. 

* * *

Skywarp waited in the small preparation room, rocking up and down on his pedes, wings twitching as he stared at the door. He was supposed to stay here until someone came and got him, and it was getting hard to resist the temptation to just warp out for a quick peek.

He would meet his trinemates soon, and get his first real look at them. Of course he'd seen pictures, but that wasn't like seeing them _really_ , much less getting close enough to teek. So much about a mech just wasn't conveyed in those official images. He was as ready as tutors and flock and determination could make him. He had to behave today. So he stayed put.

It seemed like forever before a snooty looking seeker opened the door and looked him up and down. "Good polish," he offered. "Follow me."

Skywarp nodded and warped the first few steps out of excitement. The other seeker jumped back a little, but recovered quickly and led Skywarp onward. Sirrus's brother waited for them in the room that opened to a full balcony where they would launch from.

"Ready, my creation?" the flock Order asked formally, though with genuine concern.

"As I'll ever be," Skywarp said with a grin. "It's just trining."

Strato chuckled. "Just you wait," he said. "It's amazing."

"Everyone keeps telling me that," Skywarp said as they both jumped up into the air. Skywarp looked around and saw another group of seekers taking off from the other side of the courthouse. They would meet above it in the sky, over the open court and the witnesses. The only beings in the airspace would be those about to trine, the priest that would officiate and as the single member joining the trine, Skywarp had his flock Order as his backup.

For a brief moment Skywarp allowed himself to simply enjoy flying, but he didn't resist it when Strato signaled him to take his place next to the pair that he would spend his existence linked to. His first real look at the pair, as they came level with him, made his spark skip a little.

His Vision was gorgeous, bright crimson optics set in a strikingly dark face, as the pictures had suggested, but there was a grace to his frame in flight that made Skywarp feel fluttery. Polished, gleaming white wings caught the light, rich red and blue highlights accented the frame that, more than many seekers, had clearly been created to _fly._ And Thundercracker ... _he_ was devastatingly handsome. Dark blue was his primary color, black and white highlights that were practical and streamlined, a strong frame that would be able to protect a flock some orn. He held himself with clear pride in who he was.

When their fields brushed against his he felt their strength, intelligence, will and spark and his wings fluttered, flirting with them. Thundercracker nodded to him and flicked a wing in acceptance of the flirting and initial acceptance of Skywarp in person.

"It's nice to meet you," Skywarp said after a moment of silence between them.

"Mm, yes, we'll talk later," Starscream shushed him with less venom than some would expect. Thundercracker simply glanced at him and gave a small flick of reassurance.

The priest flicked his wings for attention and received it. "This orn we are gathered to witness the oaths of Skywarp to join Thundercracker and Starscream in trine. Strato, as flock Order, do you relinquish this seeker to his trine Order, Thundercracker, and his Vision, Starscream?"

"I do," Strato said.

"Starscream and Thundercracker, do you accept this Action?"

"We do," Starscream and Thundercracker said.

"Skywarp, do you wish to be part of this trine?"

"I do," Skywarp said.

"Then you may say your vows and take your flight," the priest said.

Starscream gave a short x-vent. "My Order, my Action," he said. "My creations will be yours to keep and guard. My spark is yours to kindle with, to have and to guard."

Skywarp's wings gave a nervous flutter. "My Order, my Vision," he began. "My strength is yours, our trine and Vision will be under my guard." 

"My Vision, my Action," Thundercracker's deep voice rumbled through them as much as around them. "My will is yours, to protect and guide our trine."

Skywarp felt something _click_ into place in his processors and his wings quivered with excitement that was quickly dulled when he realized that both of his trinemates looked bored. Starscream was giving the priest an impatient look.

The priest just smiled. "Very well. You may now fly."

"Mm, catch me if you can," Starscream said with a grin before transforming and taking off. 

Skywarp reacted on reflex to the challenge and with a flash of purple smoke he was above Starscream and grabbed hold. Starscream's indignant squawk was quickly drowned out by Thundercracker's deep, rumbling laughter and Skywarp hesitated, unsure if he'd done the right thing.

"It's good for you, Starscream," Thundercracker said, flying up to join them. "To not be the fastest one."

Starscream 's scowl was glaring in his field, but Thundercracker's amusement and good mood at Skywarp's actions reassured the young Action.

"Let go. We're supposed to fly," Starscream huffed.

"You said catch you if I could," Skywarp said, to another indignant huff.

"Sometimes you have to listen to what this Vision _means_ , and not what he says," Thundercracker told the young Action. "He wants to show off."

"So, pretend to try to catch him," Skywarp said.

"Exactly," Thundercracker said.

Skywarp grinned and nodded and let go, watching the white jet rocketed away. Thundercracker transformed and followed after, and Skywarp allowed himself one jump to get closer before he joined them in the flight. Thundercracker wasn't too difficult to fly with. While he was far more skilled than Skywarp, he was also a tiny bit slower and wasn't trying to lose his Action.

"He's really, really fast," Skywarp commented after Starscream had circled around and taken off again.

"He is," Thundercracker said. "I'd never be able to catch him without using my gift."

"Me either," Skywarp agreed.

"That's the point. I am _Starscream!_ " the red and white jet shot by them again.

"So when do we catch him?" Skywarp deferred to Thundercracker both as an elder, as his Order and as one who knew Starscream far better.

"After the next pass," Thundercracker teeked of his anticipation.

"Gifts allowed?"

"Gifts allowed. I'm not going to let him circle us _all_ orn, he has enough pride issues as it is," Thundercracker said. 

Skywarp giggled at the statement and tracked Starscream coming around again. "You grab him first, or me?"

"I'll shake him up, you grab him, I'll help you bring him down," Thundercracker said, and started climbing higher. "Get above me."

Skywarp jumped through the air to be above his Order, who banked in order to intercept Starscream's path. The sleek Seeker saw it coming, he had to, but there were rules and Starscream knew he couldn't race away from them forever. There was a boundary to this flight. He still made Thundercracker work for it, and Skywarp watched curiously as his Order's afterburners started to glow, wondering exactly what Thundercracker's gift would feel like. He'd read about it, but accounts only offered vague descriptions.

The rumble that spread through the air made Skywarp a little giddy, but it was nothing like what Starscream seemed to feel, as his flight was thrown off balance. He actually wobbled in the air, and as Thundercracker peeled away Skywarp saw his chance.

He flew in, transforming at the last moment to grab his Vision's wings. The indignant squawk was much like before but this time Starscream's field was less upset. True to the plan Thundercracker was there a moment later and got his hands on Starscream as well. The caught Seeker could have struggled a lot more if he really wanted to, but in a sign of compliance to his trine Starscream allowed himself to be guided to a balcony in the royal complex and transformed to set down neatly with his trine.

"You're so fast," Skywarp murmured, unable to keep himself from petting his Vision's wings as he admired them up close. They pressed into his touch with a soft purr and flush of pride from Starscream.

"You're smarter than your profile suggests," Starscream murmured, his frame relaxing into the admiring touch.

"I did say he was," Thundercracker rumbled in amusement before putting a hand on each of his trinemates and nudging towards the large berth in the center of the room. "Let's finish this and then enjoy a true flight together as _trine_."

Skywarp looked around as he was guided forward. "This is just _yours?_ " he asked.

"Ours," Starscream corrected him. "And yes. This is just the berthroom, the rest of the wing is ours as well."

"And no one else lives here," Skywarp said with some astonishment.

"It takes some getting used to," Starscream said as Thundercracker frowned with some confusion. "But you'll get the hang of it."

"What's wrong with it?" Thundercracker asked.

"Have you ever even _seen_ a working class eyrie?" Starscream asked with an optic roll as he settled on his back on the berth, holding a hand out for his Order and Action to join. 

"Everyone would live in a space this size," Skywarp added as he eagerly joined Starscream on the berth and nuzzled him. Thundercracker joined them willingly with a bit of a smile for the affection. "Nothing wrong with this, it's just different."

"It's just nobles," Starscream added as they both moved in over him. "Thundercracker's been sheltered."

Thundercracker snorted, but his expression was fond. "So, Skywarp," he said, and touched the Action's cockpit. "Welcome to our trine."

"Thank you," Skywarp murmured with an excited blush. 

"Enough mush," Starscream rolled his optics at them. "I want your sparks. Now."

Skywarp had to hide his surprise that the brief exchange could be "mush," but happily followed along with what his Vision wanted. He giggled a bit and unlocked his armor. The canopy slid to the side and moving under-armor soon shifted to display his deep purple spark.

Starscream hummed and regarded the spark before his own cockpit shifted away. Bright yellow light shone out and the tendrils reached out. Silvery-blue leaders reached out to join theirs and the first crackling zap when all three were connected was a rush like no other. 

Skywarp was eager to delve into this pleasure and the union it promised. He'd merged a few times, but never with such strong sparks or for something so important.

~Calm, youngster,~ Thundercracker's spark-voice rumbled much like his physical one, deep and rich and commanding. ~There is no need to rush.~

~I'm just excited,~ Skywarp said, trying to back down a little. ~I'll try to be calmer.~

~Everything will settle in, don't worry,~ Starscream said with a hum as he relaxed into the merge. 

With that Thundercracker took the lead in guiding the merge to the correct level and nudged at Skywarp's spark. ~Do you accept us as your trine, to fly with and create with for life?~

~Yes,~ Skywarp said. ~I will defend and protect my trine and our creations. I will join with the other Actions of the flock to keep our home safe. I will raise our creations under the guidance of my Order.~ He shivered to his core. ~I devote myself to my trine.~

~As your trine devotes itself to you,~ Thundercracker and Starscream replied before the merge deepened, their sparks seeking to know and to overload with their mingled energies.

Skywarp sank into the merge and found himself drifting into blissful happiness as energy ebbed and flowed through all three.

The overload crested over them and Thundercracker and Skywarp sank down over Starscream.

"Wow," Skywarp breathed, as systems started to shut down in preparation for the reboot that would solidify the trine bond. 

"Yes," Thundercracker murmured groggily before he allowed himself to reboot into a new existence as a fully trined Order.

Starscream hummed briefly before tucking against his Action and slipping into his own reboot.

Skywarp struggled to stay online to watch over his trinemates. He knew, instinctively, somehow, that he needed to still be watching out when Thundercracker came back to awareness.

When the yellow optics began to brighten, and Skywarp felt the approving teek, he slipped offline. He booted a moment later to two aware trinemates and a settled spark and processor in a way he hadn't even realized needed to be settled.

"Wow," he said with some amazement. He looked down at Starscream and his wings shifted up, shielding and guarding the seeker that would some orn carry their creations.

"Mm, that was nice," Starscream said, then sat up. Skywarp moved out of the way for him and was starting to lean in to nuzzle and entice him when Starscream stretched and climbed off the berth. "I'll see you two tomorrow?"

"Don't stay up all night studying," Thundercracker said with a low rumble. "You do need to take care of yourself. More so now."

"I know, I know," Starscream said. "I'm not going to work myself to exhaustion, you'll make sure of it. Nice to meet you Skywarp," he added with a smile and a flick of his wings before leaving. 

Skywarp stared after him in confusion, then focused on Thundercracker, hoping for some kind of explanation.

"He's studying for his 5th diploma in the general sciences. It's rather infected his processors," The blue Seeker explain with a bit of amusement. "He gets more affectionate between quarters."

"Oh," Skywarp said. "But you have plans for tomorrow?" he added hopefully. 

"Of course," Thundercracker said reassuringly. "I have many duties and studies to attend to. You will be largely free to do as you wish. Do you have any hobbies or interests?"

"Mostly I spent time with my clutch mates," Skywarp said. "And went out at night, clubbing and stuff ... but I don't mind not doing that anymore. I'm looking forward to building our trine and our flock."

Thundercracker nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "Your file didn't indicate much eagerness for eggs, though it is good given it will be expected of me in the next few vorns and Starscream does not have particularly strong creator protocols. It would be good for you to make friends and interests outside the trine. We're both quite busy. I don't want you to be bored."

"Oh," Skywarp said, quashing the disappointment he was starting to feel. "Right, yeah, I can do that. Is there anything I should do, or not do ... ?"

"I've arranged for an aid for the next six vorns to help you adjust to your new status," Thundercracker reached over to give Skywarp's wing a reassuring stroke. "I'm usually home by midnight, and every forth night we make trine time from joor thirty eight to midnight."

"Every fourth night," Skywarp repeated.

"Mm, though every night for the next decaorn," Thundercracker said. "It's good for the trine bond. Starscream and I have found that every fourth night works well for us, we make sure to see each other regularly and we still have time for ourselves."

"Every fourth night sounds perfect," Skywarp said quickly. It would still give them a good amount of time to spend together. Nothing like what he was used to, but still enough. It would have to be enough. This was what his Order commanded.

"Good," Thundercracker relaxed as Skywarp did. "It may benefit us all to have some time with just two for a while, to get to know each other better." He got off the berth and offered a hand. "Fly with me. I'll show you around the district."

Skywarp brightened. "Want to get dinner out?" he asked. "My treat. Do you have any favorite spots?"

"Mmm, well, yes. There's a cafe near my office that I'm quite fond of," Thundercracker said thoughtfully and motioned Skywarp to follow him to the balcony and into the sky. "There's also a club that serves good energon near the palace," he motioned in that general direction.

"Great, your choice," Skywarp said, grinning brightly as they jumped off the balcony together. He knew almost immediately that Thundercracker chose the club and felt just a bit more excited for the evening.


	2. An Honest Effort

Skywarp came up out of recharge alone and looked around the empty berthroom. "Hello?" he asked.

Silence answered.

Skywarp sighed. He knew that his trinemates were busy mecha, but he had been looking forward to getting to know them. His own creators always remembered their trining nights so fondly, and how it had felt to let the bond settle in. 

Maybe Starscream was in his study? That was close by at least. 

He was pretty sure it was close, at least. It had to be. According to Thundercracker that was where Starscream could most reliably be found, and this was their home, so...

He sat up and looked at the opposite wall, then warped to the other side of it.

Washrack. Skywarp looked around, then warped one wall past that and found himself in a big room with lots of lounges and floor to ceiling windows all along one wall.

A few more jumps landed him in a hallway and Skywarp huffed and started walking. 

How big was this place?

Oh right, they had a wing all to themselves.

He continued to walk down the hallway, randomly choosing directions when he came to an intersection, and became more and more disturbed by how empty the place was. Where was everyone?

Every room that he peeked into looked different and Skywarp couldn't help but feel like a total intruder into the totally empty places. He knew it was technically his home too, but he couldn't think what he would even do with all those different rooms. Why did they need more than one big room for everything? 

Finally, Skywarp had to admit that he was fully lost. 

He didn't stop. After all he needed to learn his new home and that meant learning his way around. Now if he could find a room with an obvious purpose that might be marked on the map he finally recalled he had, he might even know what he was looking at.

It was a great idea, except the part about finding a room with an obvious use. So he continued to wonder, absently noting shifts in decor, color and architecture as he did.

He found himself coming to room with no roof and nothing in it and stopped for a moment, puzzling over the peculiar nature of it, then went through the opposite door.

Well, he knew what an entry room looked like, and this was definitely one. The colors were entirely different and Skywarp went curiously into the open room beyond.

He finally saw wings and his own lifted as he thought he saw Thundercracker for a moment, then the mech turned and Skywarp realized he was probably looking at one of Thundercracker's clutch mates, from the similarities in their frames. "Oh," he said. "Um. Hi. I was ... looking for Starscream. Kind of. Exploring, I was exploring." 

"Skywarp, Thundercracker's Action," the deep blue Seeker dipped his wings in a polite greeting. "I'm Stormcrash. You found the palace's central entry in the last room."

"Oh," Skywarp said. "Is this your eyrie?" 

"Oh no," the blue Seeker gave a small smile. "These are still public areas of the palace. All the central rooms in the tower are. The eyries are in the wings. Did you get a map of the palace and grounds?"

"It was kind of a big map," Skywarp said sheepishly. "I decided to just look around instead. I guess I didn't think it was really this big." 

Stormcrash nodded and headed for the door Skywarp had entered from. "Come. I'll give you the quick tour by wing."

"Oh, that would be great!" Skywarp said, suddenly excited about the prospect of getting to spend time with _someone_. He bounded closer to the other seeker, then paused and tilted his helm at the teek. "You're not trined yet?"

"Still trying to find a Vision we both like," Stormcrash shrugged slightly and took off to hover in the grand entry way. "I'm still young enough they indulge me."

"That's nice of them," Skywarp said as he followed the untrined Order into the sky and then up the entry chamber to open air above the palace. "My flock needed me to trine, it was hard to support all of us. I never thought someone like _Thundercracker_ would pick me." His voice trailed off as he took in the few of Vos from above the center of the palace and realized what he had long known: the royal palace was at the very highest point in Vos, and at its center. He was likely living inside Vos herself.

"We're all still scratching our helms over his choice of Starscream," Stormcrash chuckled a bit, then gave Skywarp enough time to absorb the view.

"What?" Skywarp asked after a moment, distracted. "Why? He's _gorgeous._ And so fast, and really smart." 

Stormcrash gave him an almost pitying look. "Right. He's also arrogant, self-centered, ill-tempered and nothing a Vision should be. He didn't even respond when Windress let him see his hatchlings."

"Well he's busy," Skywarp said, suddenly not feeling very friendly towards the Order, and his engines gave a low, steady growl. "He's getting his fifth degree, he doesn't have to be _nice_ on top of all that." 

"No one needs to be nice. It just helps you be part of society when you are," Stormcrash shrugged and began to point out the various wings of the palace and who was resident or what they were for.

Skywarp huffed and listened but found himself firmly in a bad mood as he listened. After a few kliks, though, it faded and he decided that the other seeker wasn't actually trying to hurt his Vision so as long as he left him alone he could think what he wanted. Just as long as he kept it to himself.

"It's huge," Skywarp said after a while. "I never realized, it doesn't look this big from home." 

"Where was home?" Stormcrash asked with a glanced towards Skywarp.

"That way," Skywarp said, pointing in the right direction. "Outer districts. Not _too_ outer," he added quickly. "Everyone worked really hard." 

"Starscream came from over there," Stormcrash pointed to another district, still well outside the wealthy ones but better than where Skywarp was from.

"I heard he was middle class," Skywarp said, brightening. "Something we can have in common. Are you excited to trine?"

"I suppose. It will be nice to stop getting looks all the time," Stormclash shrugged, then returned to their slow spiral and pointed out who lived where. 

Skywarp forgot most of it as it went along, but it gave him a much better idea of the layout of the complex to see it from above and give it a good look with someone who knew their way about. His processors gobbled up all of the location information, making a detailed mental map that he would be able to add onto as he became more familiar with the area.

"Know how to get home from here?" Stormclash asked.

"Know how to get you back, too," Skywarp said with a grin and put his hand around the other seeker's wrist and teleported them back to where they'd started. The startled squawk when they arrived in the entry room was expected and always fun.

"I think I know why Thundercracker wanted you now," Stormclash said as he oriented himself.

"Just because I can do that?" Skywarp asked. 

"It wasn't a political move and it wasn't because he liked you," he shrugged. "Not many other reasons."

"Oh," Skywarp said. "Well I know ... that ... I'm not really..." He trailed off uncertainly, then scowled. "I'm strong and I'm fast and I want to protect a family. Thundercracker saw that." 

"That's what an Action should be. Do so and you won't take much grief for your background once you get up to speed here," Stormclash tried to be nice. 

"...Thanks," Skywarp said, not sure how else to respond. "Thanks for the tour. " 

Stormclash flicked his wings in a polite goodbye and turned to walk away, his frame relaxed and gate purposeful. Skywarp x-vented and jumped back to his part of the complex, now that he had a better idea of how everything was laid out. He landed in one of the empty rooms he'd explored earlier and started to wander back to the berthroom. He knew what door Starscream had walked out of, so when he got to the berthroom he made a point of opening that door. Only it didn't want to open.

Skywarp tilted his helm, then received a ping with a code attached and when he tried that the door clicked, then after a long delay, it opened.

"Just a standard lock," Starscream said. "Forgot you didn't have the code. Delay's in case I want to _actually_ lock it, but feel free to chime any time." 

"Thanks," Skywarp smiled and wiggled his wings, happy just to see one of his trine. "Whatcha doing?"

"Grading a bunch of morons' essays," Starscream said. "Did you need something?"

"Just wanted to hang out with my trine," Skywarp said lamely, cycled his vents and very warily began to shut down the warping hardware so he might have a chance, however small, of following what his Vision would say. He didn't like having it off, it made him feel pent up and twitchy if it was off for too long, but he would get through a conversation. "What is the subject?"

"Mid-level astrophysics," Starscream said. "Theories and supporting equations of the origin of the universe."

"If that's mid-level, what's advanced?" Skywarp couldn't help but ask. "Are you going to study advanced?"

"I TA for advanced," Starscream said. "But that's a course that only runs every other semester. They study more theoretical concepts. Like, mm, wormholes, time travel. Oh! Like teleportation, for example. What makes it possible, how it could be duplicated." 

"Folks actually want to do what I do?" Skywarp frowned. "It makes you dumb as a rock."

Starscream arched an optic ridge at him. "How so?" 

"I've got all the hardware turned off right now, so I can maybe keep up with you," Skywarp cycled a deep ventilation. "Without the upgrades I can warp an arm's length at most. I have to see where I'm going. Then I got all this extra hardware and I can go almost anywhere but even with stuffing every extra processor my frame can support into me the calculations that are always running eats up almost all my bandwidth. I forgot what they said, but it's like eighty or ninety percent of my processor load is used by the upgrades when they're active. But I get really twitchy when they're off for long, so I really don't turn them off unless it's important."

" _Really,_ " Starscream said, peering more intently at him. "How did you get the upgrades?"

"Some researchers made a deal with my flock when I was a mechling," he shrugged. "I got energon and education and the best upgrades for my adult frame and they got to study what I do."

"So that _was_ you," Starscream said with an interested hum. "I wondered. They kept your designation out of any publications, of course. You're most of what we know on teleportation." 

Skywarp flicked his wings in agreement. "They treated me pretty good. Talked about their findings and how I do what I do with me instead of over me, at least once the first one realized I understood more than I didn't. I was barely in my mechling frame when it started. It took a while to learn science talk. I miss being smart sometimes, but I can't stand the nerves for long. Did you study what they learned?"

"I do," Starscream said. "I've probably read it thousands of times by now. My research right now is temporal displacement, but mass displacement is a big part of it."

There was a flicker of thought from long ago, before his upgrades. "Mass displacement ... like subspace pocks? What I do is related?"

"It's all related," Starscream said, starting to perk up. "What you do is essentially dissolve all the bonds holding your atoms together and somehow _will_ yourself through space, maybe through a self-created wormhole, maybe by shifting to another plane, no one is really sure. But it's similar to how subspace works. That one's better understood, pressure from transformation forces the pockets inward and uses our energy to expand into a different plane." 

There was a quiver in Skywarp's wings as he realized he had something his Vision wanted, was interested in. "Do you want to watch from my side what a warp is like? Hardline while we go somewhere?"

"Really?" Starscream was on his pedes in an instant. "Yes, absolutely yes!"

Skywarp smiled and wiggled his wings eagerly at having something his trinemate wanted to do with him. He extended a hand and slid back a dataport on his chest. "What kind of warp do you want to see?"

"Any," Starscream said. He unspooled a cable and handed it to Skywarp. "How many different kinds are there to you? Do they feel different? How do you categorize them?" 

"There's a natural warp where I don't have upgrades turned on, and a real warp, where they are," Skywarp had to think about it as he plugged Starscream in and worked out the questions while their systems linked up. "A natural one is a lot faster and a lot less thinking involved, but it's all the same thing. Pick a location, let the calculations run and _go_."

"How do you pick with the hardware on, you look at something? If you can't see where you're going but you've been there before, can you go anywhere? What's your far range?" Starscream rattled off questions as Skywarp tried to adjust to the connection.

"I either pick a direction and distance or I pick a location I know," Skywarp kept everything from activating so he could focus on Starscream's questions. "My range depends on how much energy I have. It's kinda like flying that way. I don't need to know where I'm going to jump. There are safeguards that ensure I don't materialize inside something."

Starscream was quiet for a moment as the connection stabilized between them and he got a good look at Skywarp's processors without the extra hardware running. It was a massively powerful thing, not unlike hardlining with a renown professor, only Skywarp's processors were completely scattered. There was no order that Starscream could detect and the vast majority seemed to be doing nothing. ~Do you know why you get twitchy if it's off?~ he asked, already teeking it in Skywarp's field. ~Did you get twitchy before you had it?~

~No, 'cause I didn't know any different,~ Skywarp answered as he'd been addressed on reflex. ~It feels vulnerable. Once I got used to the upgrade, only being able to warp an arms length was disturbing. You'll see when you stop asking questions just how long it takes to initialize compared to how long it takes to prep a warp.~

~Questions are _important,_ ~ Starscream huffed. ~Fine. Show me a before and after, then.~

Skywarp's puzzlement at Starscream's huff was evident across the hardline, but Starscream's attention focused on the boot sequence the instant it began. First seemed to be a reflexive quieting of Skywarp's random meta just before 87% of it was locked for use for the programs being loaded. It seemed like a simple program too. Tiny, really. It used barely a fraction of a percent of what was dedicated to it.

Then the algorithms began to run and Starscream understood. It wasn't the program that was used, it was the data and number crunching that needed all that power. He watched, carefully still and silent as data spread out before him. A navigation grid in four dimensions, it wasn't unlike what his looked like in flight when he bothered to look at it. It was an odd grid though, with the zero point centered on Skywarp.

With an intentional step by Skywarp, Starscream saw what was likely the core reason the program needed so much power and space. It didn't just recalculate the grid based on the zero point shifting a bit, it recalculated everything from the beginning again. Definitely a first generation program, one designed to function but with far less care on efficiency.

~Prepping,~ Skywarp warned as a second grid overlaid the first and more calculations ran, and then Starscream was staring at open sky.

He gasped and grabbed onto Skywarp, only to find that the Action's arms were already securely around him.

~I wouldn't let you fall,~ Skywarp said with a nuzzle.

Starscream had to take a moment to adjust to the sudden change and kicked his thrusters on so he could support himself. ~Wow.~

~It is kinda cool,~ Skywarp's much more limited processors grinned at his Vision's reaction.

~Kinda cool? You just voluntarily moved yourself and another mech just by _touching_ them in a way that physics can't come close to understanding, and it's kinda cool??~ Starscream was completely amazed by what he'd just experienced, that much was clear. ~Can I see another?~

~Sure,~ Skywarp agreed readily and warped above an eyrie in a poorer neighborhood than Starscream had grown up in, though it wasn't completely decrepit. ~Home.~

Starscream's field warmed as he looked around. ~Almost makes me homesick,~ he said. ~It was hard to get used to all that empty space. If you'd been somewhere in, say, Iacon, could you warp there from here?~

He watched in fascination as basic knowledge of Cybertron's topography was run through various algorithms and programs and he saw the answer before Skywarp translated the findings fully.

~Not in a single jump. I can't store that much energy. Two jumps with a break for energon if I start out topped off,~ Skywarp rattled off.

~Wow,~ Starscream said again. 

~...Want to jump a little lower, meet my flock?~ Skywarp offered a little shyly, and he immediately teeked Starscream's surprise.

~Oh,~ Starscream said. ~Not right now. I'll meet them eventually. Right now I really need to write all of this down.~

~Oh. Okay,~ Skywarp agreed without hesitation and then warped to Starscream's study with no other warning.

It left Starscream spinning for a moment before he disconnected and began spooling his cable back up. "Wow," he said for the third time. "Just, _wow_. That was incredible!"

"I can take you out anytime," Skywarp offered, delighted to have something to offer his Vision.

"I'll definitely be taking you up on that," Starscream said, quivering from excitement. He turned and rushed to his desk to begin recording everything he'd witnessed. He knew it wasn't anything new to the study, but it was radically different from reading someone else's description.

Still standing where he'd landed, Skywarp looked caught between sad and pleased, then began to wobble a bit. "Umm, Starscream?"

Starscream tossed the briefest glance over his wing. "Yeah, what," he said, then took a longer look when he saw the unsteadiness. "What? Are you okay?" 

"Went through a lot of energon," Skywarp shifted his stance to steady himself. "Warped a lot today."

Starscream gave him an odd look but got up and led Skywarp out of his study and into the berthroom and sat him on the berth, then went to an energon dispenser fixed in the wall and drew two cubes from it.

"Mid and high," he said, holding them out to the teleporter. 

Skywarp reached for the high grade first and downed it quickly. "Thanks. Didn't realize it was there. We aren't restricted to meals?"

Starscream snorted. "No. Obviously Thundercracker needs to give you a better tour. Or make sure someone else does. Does your aide start today?"

"Not sure," Skywarp said, already feeling much more stable as he reached for the mid grade and sipped it. "He only said I'd have one for six vorns to help me adjust."

"Sounds like what I had, only I chased all mine away," Starscream said with a grin. "Once you get the basics down that's all you really need. It's like a normal flock and eyrie, just, really spread out. I love the space." 

"Don't you get lonely?" Skywarp tried to imagine liking the space and just couldn't.

"No," Starscream said, shrugging his wings. "I see Thundercracker almost every orn, I visit home a few times every vorn. Like I said before, it was strange, but once I got used to the space and the quiet and not being interrupted every two kliks I realized there was no other way to live." 

"Oh," Skywarp murmured as he tried to process enjoying that.

Starscream watched him for another few moments, then shrugged his wings again. "Anyway. You got everything you need?"

Skywarp felt like he needed to hold his Vision, but he didn't think Starscream would like that, so he canted his wings in affirmative.

"Good," Starscream said. "Thundercracker will be back in the evening, we usually have a joor or two scheduled. I think he put two down, I'll have to double check."

"Okay," Skywarp said.

Starscream tilted his helm, then grinned. "And thanks for the demonstration, that was _amazing._ "

"Anytime," Skywarp said as his Vision disappeared through the door. He looked down into his cube and x-vented heavily. It was going to be hard becoming what his trine expected of him.

* * *

Thundercracker landed on the patio to the berthroom he now shared with his trine and took a moment to really let that sink in. Trined. Finally able to show his face at flock functions without being pestered or poked or prodded.

His Action seemed nice enough, too. Agreeable, and so far mellow enough to take the brunt of Starscream's admittedly caustic nature. The hints at creating would begin soon, but they still had a little time before that all started.

He looked into the berthroom and saw Skywarp sitting on the berth. Starscream was nowhere to be seen.

"Is he in his study?" Thundercracker asked.

Skywarp nodded. "Hasn't come out since this morning." 

"He actually came out?" Thundercracker's wings flicked up in surprise. "What drew him away?"

"Oh, I went in to say hi and we talked about what he studies and I guess the research that I was in when I was a mechling is important to his stuff so I showed him what the jumping looks like," Skywarp said, and smiled. "He really liked getting to see it first hand."

It earned a grin and chuckle. "I admit, I didn't expect you to have anything in common on that level. How was your orn?"

Skywarp fidgeted with the decorative throw for a few moments. "Quiet," he finally decided. "I need to find a hobby, I think." 

"That would be good," Thundercracker agreed as he checked for when the aid he had hired had arrived. "Ah. The aid will arrive mid-morning. I'm not sure why you didn't get his comm ping. Was that when you were out with Starscream?"

"Probably," Skywarp said. "We went over the outer districts, probably out of range." He glanced at the study door. "Is he usually late?" 

"Always," Thundercracker chuckled. "It's a rare orn I don't have to get him. Care to watch how to Starscream-wrangle?"

Skywarp grinned and was suddenly standing right next to Thundercracker. "Absolutely," he said, with obvious delight in the idea of helping his Order retrieve their Vision. Amused affection flickered across Thundercracker's field as he walked to the study door and knocked before walking in.

Skywarp followed him in and saw Starscream exactly where he'd been before, hunched over his desk. White wings flicked, then shot up.

"What? No! It isn't that late yet!" Starscream protested.

"It is," Thundercracker's tone was bland and firm, but his field was lightly amused. "It's time to spend a few joors with your trine."

Starscream gave a protesting whine, not moving. With a huff that was more show than annoyance Thundercracker stalked forward and reached for a wingtip.

"Thundercracker..." Starscream protested, the wing twitching away.

"You know the rules," Thundercracker reached for the wingtip. "Such bad behavior is unbecoming of a noble Vision."

"You are _such_ a rust spot!" Starscream complained, then gave an undignified yelp when Thundercracker tugged. "Fine, alright, I'm coming!"

Thundercracker released the wing, a very small smile playing on his mouth.

Starscream huffed and stood up, and made a very obvious show out of stretching his arms and wings out. He turned around with a raised optic ridge. "I suppose you're pleased with yourself."

"For dragging your attention away from your studies? Yes," Thundercracker deadpanned and Skywarp giggled.

"Only because I know you can back talk with action," Starscream said, and put his fingertips on Thundercracker's chest, walking him backwards. Thundercracker went without protest, backing into the berthroom.

Skywarp followed after, spark feeling twisty and bright in a mix of nerves and excitement.

"So, Skywarp, what do you like?" Starscream asked.

Skywarp shrugged his wings. "Anything?"

Starscream gave him an arched look. " _Anything?_ "

"If it feels good, yeah," Skywarp shrugged his wings again.

"Hm. Well alright then," Starscream said, and gave Thundercracker a small push that had him sitting on the berth.

"Can I touch your wings?" Skywarp asked.

"I think I'd be insulted if you didn't," Starscream said. When dark purple hands reached forward to stroke his wings he pressed into it and noted the uncertainty there.

"Relax, Skywarp," Thundercracker said, turbines kicking into a low purr as Starscream climbed onto his lap. "Ever been with someone outside your flock before?" 

"Sure. I'm not that young," Skywarp grinned and stroked those sleek white wings a little harder. "Just get more direction most times."

"Well, Starscream is a total bottom," Thundercracker said, and got swatted on the helm for it.

"I am not!"

"You are," Thundercracker said seriously.

"I'll show you bottom," Starscream said, and backed off of Thundercracker's lap and grabbed Skywarp, pushing him onto the berth all the way on his back. "Skywarp, think you can tell Thundercracker that I'm _not_ a bottom when I'm done with you?"

"Depends on how you perform," Skywarp grinned up at him, eager for the play turning serious. Just off to the side Thundercracker's rumble of amusement was deep and playful.

"Hm." Starscream smirked and climbed on top of his Action and leaned down, pressing their cockpits together and claiming a deep kiss that was willingly surrendered to and returned. Skywarp's hands found Starscream's wings again.

"Nice start," Skywarp rumbled when they finally parted.

"It'll be a nice _frag_ ," Starscream said, rolling his hips, rubbing his heating valve cover over Skywarp's pelvis.

"Ohh, most are," Skywarp moaned shamelessly as his spike cover snapped open and his spike began to pressurize.

"You'll like mine better than most," Starscream said, grinding against his Action.

"Did I mention he thinks highly of himself?" Thundercracker said, stretching out next to them and leaning in to kiss Skywarp's neck. 

"I worked that out," Skywarp giggled into a moan as Starscream rubbed against his spike until it was fully extended and hard. "He's simple as me some ways."

Starscream let his valve cover slide back and his trinemates both purred at the scent of lubricant. Starscream's field teeked incredibly pleased and he rubbed his bared, slick platelets against Skywarp's spike.

"He is also," Thundercracker said, pressing in closer, "A fragging tease." 

"Something a real bottom wouldn't be," Skywarp rolled his hips up to increase the stimulation. "Slick and hot."

"Told you so," Starscream purred. "You like everything, so I assume you like being ridden. But do you have any favorites?"

"Alt mode," Skywarp gasped at the continued teasing. "Less likely to warp into public."

"...You warp into _public_ when you 'face?" Thundercracker asked, freezing.

"You'll find he has no real sense of adventure," Starscream purred. "It's involuntary?" He didn't seem to notice the way Skywarp was starting to gasp and press up with his hips.

"By accident, reflex. Sometimes, yeah. Mostly when I was younger," Skywarp managed to say despite the distraction Starscream's heat offered.

"Don't you dare overload," Starscream said, and straightened up over Skywarp. He shifted slowly back, slicking the entire length of the Action's spike, then spread his legs and leaned back. It gave Skywarp a great view of his spike in front of Starscream's spread valve.

Skywarp whined at the order with a different harmonic for the view.

"Told you he was a tease," Thundercracker chuckled. "No warping out of the room."

"I'll try," Skywarp promised as he quivered, trying even harder not to grab those red hips so he could sink inside.

" _You_ told him I was a bottom," Starscream said, grinning at Skywarp's dazed expression. "He has only you to blame." He spread his fingers out in front of his valve, curling them a little so his knuckles rubbed either side of the spike. "Now I have to torment the poor Action." 

"Enough teasing," Skywarp rumble-whined and grabbed Starscream's hips with just enough pressure to emphasize his point.

"Starscream," Thundercracker said.

"Hmm?" Starscream glanced at him.

Thundercracker gave him a meaningful look, then tilted his helm at Skywarp. Starscream just smirked. Thundercracker's look hardened. "If he's not enjoying the teasing, stop teasing him," he said firmly.

"Very well," Starscream said with a hum and leaned forward, pressing his mouth to Skywarp's in a slow, almost lazy kiss as he shifted his hips up and sank down onto him. Skywarp bucked up with a gasp and Starscream groaned against his mouth. 

Skywarp's hands clenched on Starscream's hips and he thrust up again, seeking pleasure in the odd position and familiar slick heat.

" _Ah_ , frag--" Starscream's wings shuddered as he pushed back, bracing himself on the padding. Skywarp did most of the moving, rocking up into his Vision, loving every moment of it, and Thundercracker purred next to them. This was exactly what the Order hoped for with their Action.

It didn't take long for Skywarp to groan and shudder in the final thrusts, only his crackling charge and loss of coordination warning of it before he pulled Starscream's hips down hard to grind their arrays together as he pumped hot, rich transfluid deep into the Vision.

Starscream's back arched up, his wings went rigid as he shook from the heat flooding his sensors, frame crackling with overload. He came down with a happy sigh and relaxed for a moment. The slide of the spike withdrawing was a little odd but he couldn't be bothered by it. That had felt good.

"So what's next?" Skywarp asked Thundercracker.

"What would _you_ like to do?" Thundercracker asked, touching his Action's helm. 

"Wouldn't mind getting spiked," Skywarp said with a grin. "After that round." 

"Sure," Thundercracker rumbled eagerly and nudged Starscream to move as he caught Skywarp in a kiss that grew more heated the longer it lasted. "Any favored positions?"

"This is good," Skywarp said, hooking his arm around Thundercracker's neck and lifting his leg up. "Really, I'm flexible."

"Literally?" Starscream asked with a chuckle.

"Of course literally," Skywarp said, pulling Thundercracker back into a kiss as he rocked his hips against the heavier Seeker's. He was rewarded by the sound of a cover opening and Thundercracker rubbing back.

"We'll have to test that," Starscream grinned and watched his Order and Action rile each other.

"I can't wait," Skywarp said, hips cocking up as his valve cover slid back. Thundercracker pushed in smoothly, making both of them moan. 

"Glad you like 'facing," Thundercracker groaned as he thrust, slow and deep.

"I really, _really_ like 'facing," Skywarp agreed.

"You'll fit in well," Starscream said, propping himself up on one elbow and watching them. "I could get used to three, this is nice."

"I think you'll like it a lot more in the middle," Thundercracker rumbled eagerly. "You do love to be filled so much. Imagine both of us in you, rubbing against each other and you, filling you to bursting."

"Ooh." Starscream's engines started purring. "That'll be something to look forward to."

"Definitely," Skywarp gasped in agreement and eagerly joined the kissing Thundercracker wanted as their charge build.

"First or second?" Thundercracker groaned.

"Um--" Skywarp arched up a little. "Nnh. What?"

"Who overloads first," Thundercracker shuddered as the charge danced across his broad wings. "You or me?"

"Oh," Skywarp panted. "You. Yeah, you." 

Thundercracker nodded slightly and shifted to give himself a little more leverage for his thrusts. In less than half a klik he roared and pumped the crackling evidence of his pleasure into Skywarp. Skywarp shouted out as he got to feel the rush of transfluid against the charged up sensors and he didn't last another nanoklik before he was seizing around Thundercracker. He loved the feeling of his Order inside him and wrapped his arms around the blue seeker's neck. The feelings of welcome and pleasure and _mine_ that filled their mingled fields was even more blissful that the physical pleasure and Skywarp knew that this was _trine_ and he wanted more of it.

As Thundercracker came down he shivered with every small movement they made while both frames relaxed and nuzzled Skywarp affectionately.

"That was good," Starscream hummed. "Mm, really nice."

"It was," Skywarp said with a purr. 

"Didn't realize you were a voyeur," Thundercracker teased their Vision.

"Aren't I supposed to enjoy watching you?" Starscream teased back and leaned in for a brief kiss. 

"I suppose you are," Thundercracker purred. "It is good to watch trine having fun. Your spike want some action, or wait a bit for me to recover?"

"You need _recovery_ time?" Starscream said, optic ridge arching up. He looked at Skywarp. "By the way, don't you have something to tell him?"

"Umm ... what?" Skywarp asked.

"About me," Starscream said.

"Oh!" Skywarp looked at Thundercracker. "I don't think he's a bottom." 

Thundercracker chuckled, then looked at Starscream. "I always needed to recover. You just do too so you never noticed before."

Starscream scoffed and rolled onto his back, stretching out languidly. "If you say so," he said, then grinned at his Order and patted his thigh. "Whenever you're ready." 

"Mmm, or you could encourage me. I do have a very nice and far less arrogant lover here," Thundercracker dared him.

"I've never had to _encourage_ you!" Starscream said indignantly. 

"I never had a second option," Thundercracker played lazy fingers over Skywarp's cockpit as the black Seeker purred. "See how nice and agreeable he is?"

"I'm agreeable," Starscream huffed. "But 'face him if you want, I don't care." 

"He cant really be that dense," Skywarp looked up at his Order.

"Oh, he can be," Thundercracker chuckled and rocked his hips against Skywarp's. "I'm sure we can have fun without him."

"You go ahead," Starscream hummed, sitting up and stretching. "Maybe I'll have an early shower."

"Nope. You're obligated to stay with us for four joors, the same as us," Thundercracker grinned at him as Skywarp moaned and rocked into the light thrusting. "You can watch or you can participate, but you will stay."

"Nnh."

Skywarp saw his Vision's wings dip a little in hesitation before he flopped back down with a heavy sigh.

"Very well. I'll watch."

Thundercracker rumbled with pleasure and nuzzled Skywarp into a kiss. Starscream stretched out onto his side to watch them and Skywarp fully enjoyed the next several joors.

After, Skywarp was settled between his trinemates, drifting in a light, happy recharge. At the four joor mark, Starscream got up and left. Skywarp watched him go, then sighed and shut back down. When he rebooted, Thundercracker was gone as well.


	3. A Helpful Wing

Skywarp heaved a deep sigh as he stared at the ceiling of the berthroom. He was bored. Bored, and lonely. Starscream had locked the door on him and Thundercracker was nowhere to be found.

"Hope I'm not intruding?"

Skywarp nearly warped to the ceiling as he bolted up, staring at the unfamiliar seeker standing in the doorway. 

"No, but who are you?" Skywarp asked. He didn't feel nearly confident in his place or knowing the flock to make demands yet.

"My designation is Dapple," the seeker said, and dipped his wings in respect. "I've been assigned to you, to make sure that you are integrating easily into the Winglord's flock and to help you with whatever you may need to best accomplish that." 

"Oh," Skywarp finished standing up and perked up. "The aid my Order promised. Are you the same one that tried to help Starscream?"

"Ah..." Dapple's mouth turned up in a small smile. "Yes, that was me. I suppose it speaks to Thundercracker's regard of me that he would give me a second chance." 

"That and knowing Star," Skywarp grinned and flicked his wings in the mixed signal that was his feelings towards his Vision. "Don't worry, I'm looking forward to getting to know how things work here. It's really different so far. Where do we start?"

"I thought we'd go over the general schedule, family dinners, expectations ... just the basics," Dapple said. 

"Sounds good," Skywarp said agreeably and motioned to the door. "I think there's a place to sit across the hall."

Dapple chuckled. "There are many, many places to sit. How are you finding the eyrie?" 

"Very large and very, very empty," Skywarp let Dapple lead them to the nearest location, or maybe just Dapple's favorite. "The few I've met have been nice enough."

"You'll find that's largely the case," Dapple agreed as they entered a room with a window that lined the entire wall and lounges for every size of flier. "A few rusty spots here and there, but everyone is well meaning. Or at least not malicious. Are you looking forward to your first flock dinner?"

"I guess so," Skywarp knew he didn't sound any more sure than he was. "It'll be nice to have the flock around and actually see folks. I doubt my manners are good enough. I'm used to everybody doing everything in one room. We all recharged together, fueled together, everything, every orn."

"Sounds like my flock," Dapple said. "Most flocks, really. There's just a lot of space here, and the Winglord isn't really the most naturally social. Not that that's a bad thing, but I think it's reflected into the rest of the flock. We can work on your manners. That is definitely part of my duties." 

"I'll try to learn," Skywarp promised. "I don't want to make Thundercracker look bad."

"You won't," Dapple assured him. "As long as you're genuinely trying. A lot of fliers in this flock weren't hatched into it, you won't be alone. Though most did come from somewhat better conditions than you did."

Skywarped wiggled his wings in pleasure that honest effort would be good enough. Honest effort he could do. He could even learn well when motivated and not embarrassing his Order was plenty of motivation. "What's the most important thing to know for dinner?"

"Cants," Dapple said firmly. "There is a whole separate language that this flock uses. Instead of just 'noble,' you'll need to know the difference between first generation, second, trined in, the Winglord's creations, the Winglord's clutchmates creations ... and so on and so forth. It's the hardest thing for most to pick up." 

Skywarp managed to hold in the whimper. "I don't doubt it. I'm going to need all my processors for this, aren't I?"

Dapple started to answer, then hesitated. "Is that ... a potential complication?" he asked, obviously trying to inquire in the most delicate way possible. 

"You know I can teleport, right?" Skywarp paused until Dapple nodded. "The hardware that runs that eats up most of my processor power. I can turn it off, but only for a few breems at a time or I get too jittery to pay attention to anything. On the up side I have a great memory and I'm nearly as smart as Starscream when I do turn it off."

"Hmm. That is remarkable," Dapple said. "Then, yes, it does unfortunately require a good deal of processor power. I think I will consult with one of the educators on this, but I'm thinking our flightplan will be to practice in short bursts with your full processor strength, and try to drill it into automatic processes." 

"It's worked on other stuff," Skywarp flicked his wings with the assurance of one who knew what he was talking about. "I had to learn to fly and dance and even walk and stuff with the upgrades in place. Adult upgrades took me a long time to get used to, but I did it."

"I have no doubts that you can learn the material," Dapple said. "Though I think I'll get a consult before we press much further on. I'm sending you a list of stations within the flock, however. Read over it a few times, thoroughly. It'll be boring but it's good to get the data in there." 

"I will," Skywarp promised as he accepted the file. He could study it in short bursts of a few kliks at a time to avoid aggravating his nerves. It wasn't like he had much else to do.

"Next, while this isn't exactly a requirement, is there anything you have thought about volunteering for?" Dapple asked curiously. 

"Ummm, volunteering?" Skywarp blinked. "Don't I need a job first?"

"Well, you don't really _need_ a job," Dapple hummed. "Thundercracker provides for his trine, and his income from investments and his stipend is plenty without needing you to supplement it. But volunteering is more expected than not. This flock places heavy emphasis on reaching out to the community and giving back to it." 

"Oh," Skywarp let that scramble his priorities for a moment before deciding that he was going to need more time and shunted it to the background. "No, I haven't. Open for suggestions though."

"Well, what interests you?" Dapple asked, wings lifting with interest in the subject. 

"Flying, dancing, parties, hanging with friends ... who I can't hang with anymore. The parties are probably the kind that aren't okay either. Lots of glitter and silly games," Skywarp rattled off, then tried to think. "I like warping around." He gave a shaky smile. "I'm kinda simple."

"You aren't simple, Skywarp." Dapple canted his wings in thought. "Maybe we can go through some of the other places seekers here volunteer at. The Winglord, for example, he helps to teach disabled mechlings how to fly." 

"If Thundercracker's any example, I don't fly that well," Skywarp didn't hide the idea that he liked the concept of helping, he just doubted his ability to. "I warp places more than I fly there."

Dapple nodded. "That makes sense. Any interest in teaching?" 

"I've never tried," Skywarp said first to give himself time to think, then he flicked his wings. "I'd try, if it's stuff I know."

"Hmm. Some of the trines open their eyries up to seekerlings who have lost their flocks for some reason, but you'll want to have seekerlings of your own first." Dapple tapped his fingers on the lounge. "Let's see, some of the Visions get together every metacycle and run a sort of counseling group for new carriers. City repairs, medical services, search and rescue, even something like leading painting lessons."

"Search and rescue? Like going out and finding folks who got lost?" Skywarp perked up. "I can get into all sorts of places most can't, and I can get things out too as long as they aren't welded or holding on."

Dapple raised a wing. "Might be a good fit," he said. "As I understand it, it's helping to retrieve seekers who are injured or out of fuel. Mostly it's extreme fliers in the wastelands. Sometimes those who are trapped by structure failure." 

"I bet I'd be pretty good at that," Skywarp grinned. "Never tried, but I bet I'd be useful."

"Then I'll arrange for some contacts," Dapple said. "I know they always need more help."

"Cool," Skywarp wiggled a bit in excitement at having a 'job' he was sure he'd have fun with.

"I'm sure it will take some training, but I imagine your skills will be invaluable." Dapple pulled out a datapad. "Have you had time to review the levels in the flock?"

Skywarp stared at him, cycled his optics and stared a bit longer. "Seriously? We've been talking the entire time."

Dapple looked at him, then his optics widened. "Oh," he said. "Well, that's no problem. We'll go over them later. Any questions about the eyrie I can answer for you?"

"Umm, well, a couple things," Skywarp squirmed a bit. "Does it usually take all six vorns to teach somebody to get along here, and ... if I don't have a job, how do I get spending credits?"

"That would be a good question for Thundercracker," Dapple said. "As for learning ... I don't know that it takes anyone six vorns, but I've known newcomers to simply enjoy knowing they can reach out for support with their questions whenever they need. I've worked with this flock for a long time, they're a good family but confusing at times for outsiders." 

Skywarp relaxed with both answers, particularly relieved that there was a buffer in the learning. He might take all six vorns, but if most didn't he had a chance.

* * *

Skywarp stared at himself in the mirror, comparing the set of his wings to the picture of how they were supposed to look when speaking with one of the Winglord's cousins. Looked fine, but...also looked like how they were supposed to look when speaking to one of the Winglord's clutchmates. Which wasn't all that different from speaking to a sibling from an older clutch.

He groaned. His processors hurt and he wanted to stop and do something that wasn't staring into a mirror feeling like an idiot. At least the breem was functionally over, so he really could take a break. With an x-vent of relief he relaxed his wings and turned his warping hardware back on. As his free processor space was taken up block by block by the software's calculations, he felt better bit by bit until he was settled into himself again.

What to do now though? He'd need at least a joor to do anything like that again and he wanted longer. Thundercracker was at work. Starscream ... he wasn't actually sure whether Starscream was in the study or in class, but it was worth a look. One quick warp and he was looking at the back of his Vision's wings.

Starscream's wings shot up with a painful screech before he whirled around in his chair, staring at Skywarp. There was a beat of silence as Skywarp cringed, then Starscream relaxed. "Has anyone ever told you that is _terrifying?_ " 

"Umm, no actually." Skywarp finished relaxing. "Been told it's a lot of things, but never terrifying. I just wanted to see if you'd come out for a wing-polishing."

"Suddenly appearing in someone's sensor range where there was nothing previously, without any sound or movement, is terrifying," Starscream said. "And no. I'm swamped." 

"Oh. Sorry," Skywarp's wings drooped as his hope was dashed. "I'll try and remember not to warp in here," he added as he turned to leave via the door.

He was almost there when he heard Starscream's frustrated x-vent. "Don't look so rusting distraught," the Vision griped, standing up. "I can work on some of this from a datapad, as long as I don't have to stop entirely." 

Skywarp perked up immediately and his wings fluttered with pleasure as he managed, only partially, not to rush Starscream in his excitement. "I'm good with that."

Starscream stretched and fluttered out his wings, then held his hand out to Skywarp. "You can jump us both just from this, right?" 

"Yap," Skywarp grinned, giddily happy as he warped them to the berthroom and right next to the berth. "Get comfortable and I'll get set up."

Starscream gave him an arched look before climbing onto the berth and settling down onto his front, datapad out in front. "You just like polishing?" he asked curiously. 

"When it's trine or close flock," Skywarp told him as he climbed onto the berth and straddled Starscream's hips with polish and cloths in one hand. "Didn't you flock do it?"

"I guess so," Starscream said, shrugging his wings. He paused for a moment to scroll through his datapad. "They're family, though. I figured you'd be busy with, well, anything else." 

Skywarp paused fractionally before he began wiping down his Vision's wings. "Besides that I like family, there really isn't much that I like doing that I can anymore. Thundercracker's status and all kinda knocked out all the places I liked to go, the kind of fun I had, and most of the folks I hung out with 'cause they were into that stuff. Just haven't found much to replace it with yet."

Starscream gave a contemplative hum. "What kind of places did you go to?" he asked. 

"Dance clubs, bars, raves, glitter and prank parties. All in the area around my folk's eyrie," Skywarp answered easily as he worked. "There's nothing at all like the club Thundercracker took me too, and I got the feeling it might have been as low-class as he could go."

"Probably," Starscream agreed. "They're a little weird about public image ... all into the community service things and what flock members look like in public. They don't ever care about what someone else is doing as long as they aren't hurting someone, but mech do they want the flock to look good in public." 

Skywarp hummed in agreement, his hands moving smoothly as he finished the wipe-down and then switched cloths for the first scoop of polish. "What do you think you'll do for volunteer work once you graduate?"

Starscream shrugged. "I'll figure something out. Probably ... I don't know. Substitute professorship or something." 

"You like teaching?" Skywarp was genuinely curious, his attention his applying the polish smoothly and in a consistent layer never wavering despite the strain to do so and hold a conversation.

"Not really. But it's a bit of a necessary evil for keeping up good terms with the rest of academia." Starscream hummed, pausing in his work. "That does feel nice."

"Good," Skywarp trilled in pleasure and focused on the sleek white wings under him for nearly a breem. "I'm looking into search and rescue."

"Hm. I bet you'd be good at it," Starscream said. "With the jumping. Have you ever done anything dangerous like that before?" 

"Nah, but I kinda doubt it's much more dangerous than what I do for fun," he snickered. "I warp into unknown spaces all the time."

"As long as you don't get yourself killed," Starscream said. "That would be a huge pain."

"Not going to happen. You're more likely to blow yourself up than I am to get stuck," Skywarp snickered. "What does our Order do, anyway?"

"Something with the city, I think," Starscream said. "Whatever it is, it's boring." 

"Too bad, he shouldn't be bored," Skywarp hummed.

"Oh, he's not bored with it," Starscream snorted. "He loves it. Weird slagger." 

"You're weird too, so fixated on learning you only come out when someone makes you," Skywarp huffed despite his diligent attention to Starscream's wings. "What kind of life is that, always locked away in a room?"

"What else would I be doing?" Starscream asked with a flick of his wing. "I fly when I need a break, the rest of the time I'm getting to work towards ground-breaking, record-setting discoveries."

"What about having _fun_? Like with friends, trine," Skywarp suggested as he struggled with the idea of being so content with being alone.

"I have fun when I fly," Starscream mused. "Never really got along with that many others."

"Because they aren't smart enough?" Skywarp guessed as he began working on the second coat of polish.

"Mm. Well." Starscream tilted his helm. "Mostly I just find most mecha annoying to be around. No real reason for it."

"Oh," Skywarp accepted it and fell silent again as he worked and gradually they both relaxed to the point Starscream was almost purring.

He was still working, though, Starscream noted with some displeasure. Skywarp dipped his fingers a little into the central wing joint.

"All done?" Starscream asked as his turbines hummed. 

"If you want," Skywarp said with a touch of uncertainty even as he leaned forward to kiss Starscream's neck and tease at the wing joints a bit more.

Before he could actually kiss him, though, Starscream shifted up. "Mm, great," he said. "That felt really good. We're still on for tonight, right?"

"Umm." Skywarp glanced at the official trine schedule that Thundercracker had given him and saw a three-joor block set aside that evening for the trine to be together. "Yeah."

"Great." Starscream straightened up all the way and leaned over to kiss Skywarp on the cheek. "Thanks for the wing rub, see you then."

"See you then," Skywarp tried to act happy and not slightly hurt that his Vision would walk away. What was he doing wrong?

* * *

Skywarp was still lounging on the berth when he heard Thundercracker set down on the balcony, just three kliks before the scheduled "trine" time. He sighed and turned his head to watch his Order come in.

"How was your orn?" Thundercracker asked politely.

"Kinda the same as any other orn," Skywarp said. "How was yours? Do anything interesting?"

Thundercracker smiled. "I think you're the first flier who's ever thought something I do during my orn could even be interesting." 

"Some of it must be interesting to you, or why do it?" Skywarp offered. "It's not like you have to work at whatever it is or starve."

"A lot of it is just shuffling files around, organizing and the like. Making sure action is being taken on public cases, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks." Thundercracker tilted his helm. "I think I like knowing I'm making it easier for public servants to perform their duties. It is interesting, seeing the things citizens need, being able to find trends in problems." 

"Way outside my ability, but then I'm not an Order," Skywarp grinned up at him. "I'm hoping search and rescue accepts me. I know I can be useful there."

"I'm sure you would be," Thundercracker said as he sat down on the berth with his Action. "One of the things I do is flag any missing reports that have been correlated with high fuel expenses or speed mods--the kinds who might go recklessly flying around in the wilderness. S&R does a lot of good work out there recovering downed fliers." He glanced at the study door. "He's in there, as far as you know?" 

"Unless he jumped out the window, yeah. He hasn't moved since I coaxed him out for a polish," Skywarp shrugged. "I've been practicing wing-cants most of the afternoon. I think I'll have some of it lodged before the next flock dinner."

"Trying is the most important thing," Thundercracker said, patting Skywarp's wing. "You managed to get him away from his work for a polish?"

Skywarp pressed lightly into the touch with a thick flush of thanks in his field. "Not exactly. I got him to come out, but he brought his work. It's progress at least."

"I doubt you'll make more than that, but you're welcome to try," Thundercracker chuckled, then pinged the door open. "Starscream!"

"What!" came the irritated snap.

"Get your aft out here!" 

Skywarp giggled at the exchange, now well familiar and aware that there was no ill-will in it. It was just how his trine functioned. Starscream was an antisocial pain and Thundercracker made him come out to play when it was time.

It took another klik of them griping back and forth at each other, but Starscream did actually come out of his own volition.

"I like not having to drag you," Thundercracker said with a pleased rumble. "Your wings look good."

Starscream smirked and lifted them, turning in a slow circle. "Don't they? Skywarp polished them."

"Well get over here, then," Thundercracker said. "We only have so much time for this." 

* * *

Thundercracker was deep in his work, not really seeing the gorgeous view of Vos outside the large windows of his office. He didn't register the pop of his Action's arrival, but the movement of air and the sudden large, solid object in his sensor range did. He started, a little, and looked up in time to see Skywarp's apologetic cringe.

"Sorry," the teleporter said. "Starscream told me it's terrifying when I do that." 

"I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it is unsettling. Doing that to a military mech is a good way to get shot," Thundercracker requested. "Try knocking on the window before you come in."

"I can do that," Skywarp said in immediate agreement. "Never thought of that before. I brought you lunch," he added. 

Thundercracker's wings lifted in surprise and a touch of pleasure. "Thank you. You didn't need to though."

"Didn't do it because I needed to," Skywarp said with a grin. "You're my Order. I wanted to. Can you go flying? I found a place with a great view." 

Thundercracker's wings flicked in pleasant surprise and he glanced at his work, then stood. "Yes, I can take a lunch break. I don't have anything that won't wait a joor."

Skywarp beamed with delight and eagerly bounded over to Thundercracker before warping them both outside. 

Thundercracker let out a yelp that was more surprise than distress as he fired his thrusters. "Warn a mech before you do that!"

"I wouldn't let you fall," Skywarp said, wings dipping. "But I will. I'm sorry. Follow me?" 

"Of course," Thundercracker relaxed and scanned the area to place his location as Skywarp let him go to fly under his own power. "Where are we headed?"

"Not far," Skywarp said and transformed, leading Thundercracker towards the city center, heading up towards one of the taller government administrative buildings. The dome was decorated and shining, and not really suitable for sitting, except for a small flat area on top, just big enough for the two of them. Skywarp transformed and held his arms out. "It's a great view," he said with a grin. 

"It is," Thundercracker agreed and landed neatly before sitting and looking at Skywarp with a smile. "How'd you find this spot?"

"Jumping around, bored," Skywarp said. "Wanted to do something fun and couldn't think of anyone else. I thought you would like it." 

"Bored?" Thundercracker looked over curiously and took his energon out of subspace. "How could you be bored in this city?"

"Well..." Skywarp fidgeted. "I mean, now. I have a lot of free time now." 

Thundercracker paused before it clicked. "Ah, and you have even fewer connections to this level of society than Starscream did. Have you asked Dapple for suggestions?"

"Yeah, he says I should pick a hobby or something. There are places to go out but they're not all that interesting. Anyway. Lunch!" He pulled out a few flavored cubes and a handful of energon crisps, offering the whole lot over to Thundercracker. 

"You really came prepared," Thundercracker chuckled in good humor and took half the crisps before settling in. "Have you heard back from search and rescue yet?"

"Not yet," Skywarp said with a flick of his wings. "Do you want to go out later?" 

"Not tonight. I have enough work that I'll be home just early enough to make it to the berth," Thundercracker shook his helm. "We can try to plan it in though."

"Right, planning," Skywarp said. "Okay, yeah, let's plan it. Maybe we can even convince Starscream to come out with us," he added with a grin. 

Thundercracker laughed deeply after swallowing a crisp. "That'll be the orn. We'll talk him into eggs long before we get him out on a frivolous something. How long an outing are you thinking of?"

"Just thought we could go out and have an evening together," Skywarp said. "We haven't really spent a lot of time together, I feel like I barely know you." 

Thundercracker's wings flicked in genuine surprise. "You don't?"

"Well we only spend a handful of joors together at the end of the orn, sometimes not even that," Skywarp said. "Takes more than that to get to know someone." 

Thundercracker hummed and sipped his energon. "What would you like to know?"

"I ... it isn't just, you know, questions and answers," Skywarp said. "Don't you ever just hang out with your friends?" 

"Not particularly," Thundercracker answered thoughtfully. "I'll get together with various parts of the flock on occasion, or those I work with. There's usually a purpose to it though, not just hanging out. I have too much in my life to spend time doing nothing."

"Oh," Skywarp said. "It's, well, it ... Yeah, that makes sense," he finally settled on. "You do important work." 

Thundercracker looked at his Action for a long moment. "It's not the work. It's just how I like to live."

"Oh," Skywarp said again. "I guess as long as you're happy?" 

"It works for myself and Starscream well. I hope once you develop interests you will find it as agreeable," Thundercracker said with careful, honest hope.

"Me too!" Skywarp said brightly. "I'm sure I will. I know you chose me for your Action, I want to be the best for you I can be." 

"Yes, you are my Action, as I am your Order," Thundercracker carefully reminded the younger Seeker that responsibility went both ways and he wasn't trying to avoid it. "Would you like to sit in on some of the classes I teach at Marshal Academy?"

"Umm." Skywarp tilted his helm. "Sure? Like what kinds of classes?"

"Flight skills, chase tactics, hand to hand combat. I teach basic law on occasion as well, but I doubt you'd enjoy that one," Thundercracker offered.

"Flight skills sounds fun," Skywarp said. "I'd like to come to that one."

Thundercracker flicked his wings in acceptance and pinged his Action the class schedule. "Come by when you feel like it."

"I will!" Skywarp promised, then they lapsed into silence as Thundercracker sipped his energon and enjoyed the view. 


	4. Knocking Up A Star

This time Thundercracker did have to drag Starscream from his study by the wingtip, and it was far worse than usual for the Vision because this time he was dragged into a room where their Action was laughing manically and warping just enough to look completely fuzzy and really mess up how his voice sounded.

" _What_ are you _doing?_ " he snapped as he wrenched his wing away, glaring at both of them. "Fragging pits!"

"I warned you to come out or be dragged out. It's time to have a serious talk about the future," Thundercracker crossed his arms and hiked his wings up in a blatant dominance display as Skywarp managed to calm down and stop giggling. 

Starscream turned his glare on his Action. "And what are _you_ so happy about?" he demanded. 

"It was funny to watch," Skywarp tried not to giggle again. "So much fussing without any resisting."

"I was _so_ resisting," Starscream said.

"You were not," Thundercracker deadpanned, then paused and tilted his helm. "At least not nearly as much as you are capable of doing."

Starscream snorted. "Well, I'm here now." 

"Then come to our berth and let's set this up so my kin don't make arrangements for us," Thundercracker motioned the Vision to the berth as he joined Skywarp there. "Once we set a date to kindle they'll leave us alone about it."

"It's really that big a deal?" Skywarp asked as he snuggled against his Order's side and welcomed their Vision between and over them.

"They're _glitched_ about it," Starscream said. "Vision's duty to the flock, an Order's duty to his trine ... it's ridiculous."

"It isn't ridiculous," Thundercracker said firmly. "We're keeping the flock strong. These creations will form their own trines and the flock will grow."

"Well I'm ready any time," Skywarp offered as he stroked Starscream's side and teased the inseam of his wing. "Search and rescue training is pretty open."

"I expect Starscream will want to finish the term out. He can work on his Sixth Degree final paper while he nests," Thundercracker rumbled. "Which will give me enough time to arrange my absence."

"I do have to finish this term," Starscream said with a heavy sigh. "And then try to get as much of my paper done before there are _seekerlings_ running around." 

"And flitting around," Skywarp giggled. "It's not like they're little for long."

"Thundercracker will be doing the majority of the seekerling work," Starscream said. "We've already agreed on that. Just because I'm the one who lays doesn't mean I have to give up my life for his flock's expectations." 

"They're your flock too now!" Skywarp blurted out with wings almost vibrating with distress. "You're part of it and you agreed to it."

"As I agreed to raise the little ones," Thundercracker reached out to put a calming hand on Skywarp's wing. "Not everyone is intended to be a creator."

Skywarp looked between them, then at Starscream. "Why don't you want to raise them?"

"Because I don't," Starscream snapped. "There doesn't have to be a reason."

"But..." 

"Skywarp, he doesn't need to give us a reason," Thundercracker said firmly. "He's agreed to creating the eggs. I agreed to raise what hatched from them. That's all there needs to be."

Skywarp looked at Starscream, who rattled his wings in warning, then back to Thundercracker with a grin. "I'll help you," he said. 

"Thank you," the Order accepted the statement with his natural poise and an affectionate brush of fields.

"So let's get this on the schedule," Starscream said. "We'll probably want to clear an orn in case it takes a few tries. It'll be more efficient to clear one large block instead of a dozen smaller ones. Agreed?" He looked between his trinemates.

"Yes," Thundercracker nodded. "Based on norms, one of us needs to be home and with you until the eggs are finished growing."

"Sure," Skywarp agreed readily. "If I get called out I can warp over to pick you up."

"That will work perfectly," Thundercracker said with a fond smile for his Action before looking at Starscream. "How does your calender look one metacycle before term end? That would time everything out for the second semester next vorn for you to be able to work."

Starscream thought for a moment. "Make it one decaorn later," he said. "Look good?"

"Flock dinner."

"Ugh, frag. The orn after? I don't want to deal with them one orn after getting sparked." 

"That will work," Thundercracker agreed. "The worst of the excitement should have settled before we see them again."

"That work for you?" Starscream asked Skywarp.

"Sure," Skywarp said. "Or any other orn you want to."

"It will be _that_ orn and no sooner," Starscream said.

"As agreed," Thundercracker stopped another spat before it began. "I will handle the notifications. Have you ever helped build a nest?" He looked at Skywarp.

"Umm, no? I was the youngest in my flock. I've seen them in other eyries though," Skywarp tried not to make himself sound as clueless as he was. "My Action-creator said is was deep code driven, not learned."

"It is," Thundercracker agreed. "It's just faster with experience. You'll know when you want to start building it. Generally right after the egg production begins. The goal is to have it finished by the time they are sparked." 

"'kay. Just point me to where you want it," Skywarp said agreeably.

"Your choice," Thundercracker said. "Most build on the roofs, but it's wherever you feel with be the best for your Vision."

"The study, then," Skywarp said with a grin for Starscream. Starscream rolled his optics and flicked his wings dismissively, but there was warmth in his field that his Action would go there first, instead of a more generic place like the roof. "What about materials?"

Thundercracker gave an encouraging smile for the rare bit of forethought from his Action. "The basics will be delivered a decaorn before the first merge. Just contact Dapple for anything else you feel the need for."

"Will do," Skywarp nodded agreeably.

"So I guess that settles that," Starscream said with a determined flick of his wings. "Meeting adjourned. I'm in the mood for just about anything." He looked between his trinemates. "So whatever you're feeling up for." 

"Com'ere and ride my spike until you're relaxed enough to take Thundercracker too," Skywarp rumbled eagerly and reached for the Vision he was coming to adore no matter how difficult he was.

"Hmm, I like that," Starscream said with a pleased purr and allowed Skywarp to pull him flush.

"So do I," Thundercracker said, the strength from his revving engines vibrating out through both of them. 

* * *

Skywarp was still amazed at the complex thing he'd created in the study. It had completely redesigned the room. The desk was now towards the center with its chair. The rest was full of all manner of soft fluffy things. Sharp points went outward in all directions and he was completely amazed at how viscous and inventive the traps along all three entrances was. Two led out to the grand windows in the study while the third opened to the door to their berthroom. It was decidedly non-traditional, but it seemed to please his Vision when he wasn't grousing about being kicked out of the study while Skywarp fussed.

Building it had just felt _good_. Their Vision's frame was preparing to carry the life that they would bring into the world and he was preparing to protect it at all costs. He put his hands on his hips and smiled at the job well done. Soon there would be eggs nestled here, secure from all harm. After that little seekerlings would be crawling and running about. Little seekerlings that their Vision did not want, their Order was only doing because it was expected of him and their Action was in way, way over his helm.

Skywarp drooped, wings dipping down, and his spark felt heavy thinking of his seekerlings growing up without the kind of love he'd seen and felt in his own flock. His creator trine, their flock, everyone had always been so adoring. They didn't have much, but there was enough energon and it hardly ever mattered that their things weren't as expensive as other flocks´ things. Skywarp had never even thought of it as a mechling. Seekerlings came because they were wanted. It was just how it was done where he came for. He couldn't really comprehend kindling if you didn't desire the result. It wasn't like it could happen by accident.

He was ready to want them, but he was ready to fall in love with his trine too. That wasn't going to happen either. Well, he might love them in time, but they'd never love him. They didn't even love each other. It was just a business arrangement.

How could he ever make up for a Vision's disdain and an Order's indifference?

Maybe he couldn't. Maybe his seekerlings would just grow up thinking this was how it was done. He would love them, of course, but he could never make up for the rest of it being missing. Flock gatherings every metacycle? Trinemates spending most of their time apart? How could he even think of bringing seekerlings into this? It was _wrong_. Thundercracker probably didn't know any better, but Starscream ... right, Starscream didn't like his creator-flock. But still, how could Starscream justify this to himself? To lay eggs and then just walk away?

Studies weren't more important than eggs and seekerlings. _Nothing_ should be more important than eggs and seekerlings. Starscream shouldn't have trined with anyone who intended to create. A low sob escaped Skywarp's vents as he sank to the ground inside the nest and shook. This was so wrong and he was going to be part of it. Maybe he could get his creation flock involved? At least try to show the little ones that what they saw at home wasn't normal. 

His creators would be happy to help. He was sure of it. He might be an Action, but these were his creations and he knew his creators and their flock would be happy to be part of their lives.

Skywarp calmed a little. They would make things better, and he was sure Thundercracker and Starscream wouldn't mind him taking them for the orn, ever. He should probably pop in on his creation flock to let them in on it and get them on board with the plan before he said anything to his trine. He'd show them he could plan.

Shaking his wings out Skywarp got to his pedes and inspected the nest one last time before teleporting outside and lazily firing his thrusters to fly home.

* * *

Starscream was the first to collapse back out of the spark merge, spark glowing bright as his chest closed, panting.

"Wow," Skywarp breathed as he found enough of his wits to use his vocalizer.

"Amazing," Thundercracker shivered weakly, his energy almost entirely spent in the effort to create tiny newsparks with Starscream.

"Did it take this time?" Skywarp asked.

"I hope so," Starscream said, as Thundercracker held his hand over the Vision's middle.

"I think it did," Thundercracker said with a smile. "We'll know by tomorrow night."

"Much as I enjoy 'facing, this is getting a bit much," Starscream groused, though he didn't try to remove Thundercracker's hand.

"Who wants energon?" Skywarp asked.

"Everyone," Thundercracker said firmly.

"Be right back," Skywarp said cheerfully and warped away to get the cubes. He returned to the same position he'd been in, snuggled against his trinemates as he handed out the cubes.

"I do have things to do," Starscream said. 

"You do not." Skywarp startled them all with how firm the declaration was. "Your duty until they are no longer dependent on you is to take care of yourself and the eggs inside you."

Thundercracker raised an optic ridge with a slight smile. "He is correct, you know."

"We agreed I could still work on my dissertation," Starscream argued.

"Yes, but _right now_ you are tired and shouldn't be doing anything but resting and relaxing," Skywarp said. "Drink and when you're stable again you can sit and type."

"Clearly our Action is a bossy sire," Thundercracker snickered, but his field and wings spoke clearly of his approval.

"Nnh." Starscream did actually relax. "I _am_ tired, I suppose."

Skywarp nuzzled his neck. "We're going to have eggs soon," he purred. 

"Then I can let you two do all the work," Starscream murmured as he began to shut down.

"Yap, we'll make sure they grow up right," Skywarp trilled, pleased that the egg-heavy Vision was being cooperative for now.

"You seem very excited," Thundercracker murmured with a smile for his Action as he settled down. 

"Someone should be," Skywarp murmured as he stroked Starscream's abdominal distortion. "Someone needs to make sure he doesn't hurt them by not paying attention to them. He is prone to it."

"I'm sure he would argue otherwise, but I'm glad you'll be looking out for them," Thundercracker said, and kissed Skywarp's helm. 

Skywarp purred at the praise and settled down to a nap with his wing over Starscream and senses more alert than usual.

* * *

Starscream bit back a sigh of frustration. His Action was being entirely too nice. It had been unsettling how random he had been before with wanting to give attention of some kind, but now it was constant. It was like Skywarp thought Starscream would flip over and crash without being check on every couple breems. His Action was rubbing down and polishing his wings for the second time that orn, and Starscream just couldn't figure out _why_. They were clean, he was relaxed, his polish was fine, so what was the point? Surely Skywarp had something better to do than distract him. 

"How are the supplements going down?" Skywarp asked randomly as he hummed in pleasure.

"Fine," Starscream said, forcing his voice to stay even. "Just like last time. If they weren't I would say something."

"That doesn't mean I don't want to know it's going well. Your my Vision and you're egg-heavy. It's by job to take care of you," Skywarp tried to explain.

"You'll hear for me to tell you something is wrong," Starscream said. "If it ever is. That counts, doesn't it?"

"Of course it counts," Skywarp huffed in frustration. "At least _I'm_ socialized well enough to know polite questions are normal when you care. You should have been by now."

Starscream stiffened and his field turned bitter. "Not everyone is socialized the same, not everyone has to be," he snapped. 

"If you don't want to end up alone and ostracized, you at least need to know what's normal, even if you can't comply with it," Skywarp scowled in deepening frustration. "Is that what you want, to never have to be around any of us again?"

"Of course not," Starscream said, sounding equally frustrated. "I just don't see the point of excessive niceties."

"Or any." Skywarp half corrected and half prodded.

" _That_ isn't true." Starscream flicked a wing.

"So why would you use niceties?" Skywarp asked quietly. "When is there a point to it?"

"When they're true," Starscream said, sounding completely bewildered by the question. "Like when I told you it's a good, strong nest and I like where you built it." 

"So you think I'm lying when I ask how things are?" Skywarp wasn't sure whether to feel hurt or insulted.

"No, I don't," Starscream said, and rubbed his hand over his face. "Why is this so important?" 

"I don't know, maybe because I care about you," Skywarp snarled and vanished.

Starscream's wings gave a startled jump at the sudden emptiness behind him before he gave a frustrated hiss and rattled his wings at nothing in particular. "Why the frag would you do that," he muttered to himself before focusing in on his reading. 

On the far side of the suite in an interior room Skywarp materialized and didn't even try to stop himself from curling in on himself on his knees. He hurt. His Vision hated him, he was sure of it. His Order barely even knew he existed. And he didn't dare say anything about it because he was going to be the one to pull his entire creation flock up, and if he said or did anything bad about the Winglord's flock he didn't even want to think about what would happen. The whole thing was such a good opportunity, except for the part where he couldn't even tell his own trinemates that he loved them and knew he would never hear it in return. 

As much as it hurt, he had to stick this out for as long as he could. Maybe once this clutch was grown and settled they'd let him use his stipend to get a place of his own. A new paint job and ... he didn't even know what. There had to be a way where he didn't have to face trinemates that didn't even care if he existed. Or at least not face them often. He could earn a living in search and rescue. They'd already said as much. He was good at it and they looked forward to seeing him come in. He'd never be one of them, but at least they thought he was useful.

He thought of his creator flock and his vents hitched. All the adults cared about each other. There wasn't much but everything was open and shared and everyone felt welcome, even when they were fighting. He'd longed for his own trine and flock his whole life, and now that he had a Vision, that Vision didn't even want him.

Skywarp curled forward and brought his knees up and buried his face in his arms as he started to sob.

* * *

Skywarp took the long way home--flying instead of jumping. His creators usually had this orn off and it had been too long since he'd visited. He wanted to give them the updates on his life, and more than that, really needed to be around an actual _flock._ Seekers who cared about each other and wanted to have their creations around them. He hoped his creators didn't have anything planned for the orn and he brought enough energon for everyone. He wasn't going to be a burden to them. He just wanted to be allowed to sit in a corner and be around a real flock until he was expected in the Winglord's eyrie for the night.

As he circled in he gave a call to anyone in the eyrie that he was kin and coming in.

His creators' pings answered immediately, delighted subharmonics underlying the response. Skywarp wiggled happily in the air for them to see and then transformed and jumped down to land in the middle of the eyrie. Res immediately rushed forward and embraced him with the others not far behind. Only four of them were home, but it was more of a welcome than Skywarp had felt in too long.

Skywarp hugged his Vision-creator and purred as the other three joined around. His creator-trine and the flock Order's untrined mate, Tealsky, trilled in warm welcome.

"You should have told us you'd be coming home!" Res told him. "We would have done something special!" 

"Just getting some time with the flock is special," Skywarp insisted. "Besides, I'm the visitor. I'm the one to bring gifts," he added with a grin and pulled out a box from subspace with a cube of good highgrade for each flock member.

All four lifted their wings at the obvious quality of the energon, then smiled at the youngest adult of the flock.

"Thank you," Sirrus said, bumping their helms together.

"What a gorgeous color," Res said wonderingly, pulling out one of the cubes. "What grade is this?" 

"Umm, after-fueling sweet? I didn't actually get the designation," Skywarp took his best guess. "It's really good, or at least I think so. All formal meals with my Order's flock end with it. It's sipping energon."

"Would you like to sit and enjoy some with us?" Tealsky offered. "Or would you like to wait?"

"I'd like that a lot," Skywarp brightened completely and set the box down after selecting a cube for himself. "Any excitement in the eyrie?"

"Mm, I'll say so," Res said with a bright trill. "Ruby is carrying."

Skywarp immediately looked around and locked onto the half-built nest. "Do you know how many yet?"

"Not yet," Sirrus smiled. "And Tealsky is being courted for a trine," he grinned at the untrined Action.

Tealsky smiled and ducked his wings a little. "A mated Order and Vision." 

"That's _great_ ," Skywarp trilled, far more eager for the fellow Action than the creations, though he was delighted about both. "What are they like?"

"Agave and Tempest, they're intense," Tealsky said, first naming the Vision, then the Order. "Strong fliers, they're both in public works. Agave is an inspector, structural integrity of buildings and things, Tempest oversees construction crews." 

"And you like them?" Skywarp's wings quivered with how happy he was that his creation flockmate was being courted by Seekers well above him in income.

"Very much," Tealsky said. "We get along really well. They're flexible with their flock and their flock is very open, I think we'll be seeing a lot of them over here."

"And they've invited us all to their eyrie, any time," Sunchaser added. "You should come by some night, they're a rowdy bunch, you'd have fun." 

"I'd love that," Skywarp perked up even more. "I haven't been to a real party in ages."

"The Winglord doesn't throw parties?" Sirrus asked, settling down with an arm around Res.

"Yes, how is everything? How are you? How is search and rescue going?" Res added. 

"Nothing we'd recognize. It's very quiet, no one overcharged and what they call dancing is more like walking," Skywarp tried not to sound as depressed about it as he was. "I'm good. Search and rescue is great," he was grateful he could at least be fully honest there. "The really technical stuff I'm probably never going to do, but they recognized how useful my warping could be really fast. They're great mecha too, even the grounders. Hard workers, like everybody around here."

Res smiled warmly. "I'm glad everyone works so well together," he said. Sunchaser nuzzled him fondly.

"What about your trine?" Tealsky asked eagerly. "Tell us about them! When are you going to bring them by?"

"Oh, ah, well Starscream's egg-heavy right now, so--"

"Egg-heavy?" Res immediately interrupted him, wings shooting up excitedly. "How long? Skywarp!"

"That is wonderful," Sirrus said. "Res, let him finish."

"But our Skywarp is going to be a creator!" Res said excitedly.

"Yes, whether or not he gets to finish talking," Sunchaser chuckled.

Skywarp smiled at his creators. "Yeah. It's exciting, I guess. Anyway, with Starscream being egg-heavy, I don't expect we'll all be away from the nest for quite a while. We get along well enough. It's really different, but I'm getting up to speed. I'm hoping to bring the Seekerlings by often though, once they're ready to leave the nest. I'd like them to know how different flocks do things," Skywarp danced around the truth.

"I can't wait to have them here," Res said. "They can play with Ruby's little ones! And it'll be wonderful for them to see other flocks." 

"Good," Skywarp relaxed. "With Starscream so busy with his studies and Thundercracker working to keep the city running smoothly I'm probably going to be spending a lot of time caring for them. It'll be nice to have help."

"We'll help with whatever you need," Sirrus said.

"Or want, or just for fun," Res agreed eagerly. "Two clutches at once! We've never had so many."

"Always," Tealsky said, sipping the energon. "This is delicious, by the way."

"Thank you," Skywarp wiggled happily that his gift was enjoyed and that his flock would help out with raising the clutch.

"I'm glad things are going well," Sunchaser told his Action creation. "We miss you around here, things are definitely quieter!"

"Mm, well, we get more rest," Sirrus teased. "That's certain."

"You're probably wanting to get back to watch your Vision," Sunchaser hummed. "I always found it about impossible to leave Res. He kick you out in a fit?"

"I only did that once!" Res protested. 

Skywarp snickered. "Starscream does it most orns. He can only stand so much social time before he demands we go away. He's easier to be around now that he wants the attention, but he still can't take as much as I want."

Sunchaser's wings lowered a little. "Oh. That would be hard."

"Yeah, but it's what he is," Skywarp shrugged. "He can't help it. I'm getting used to it."

"I'm sure he appreciates it," Res said, before looking up at Sirrus. "Everyone needs a trine who loves them for what they are."

"Mm." Sirrus leaned in for a kiss with his Vision. 

"He has his sweet moments," Skywarp smiled and fought to keep the longing for what he was seeing from his field. "It's working out."

Sunchaser watched his creation for a few moments. "You come by whenever you need, all right?" 

Skywarp's smile was shaky as he realized he hadn't hidden anything. "Thanks. I will. I'm trying to build some friendships that are acceptable, but it's hard. I don't have much in common with them."

"Flock transitions are hard," Tealsky said, reaching out for one of Skywarp's hands. "How about you stay here tonight, would your Order mind? The rest of the flock should be back soon, I know they'd all love to see you, too." 

"I can't imagine he'd mind. I'll comm him just before he'll be home to check," Skywarp warmed considerably at the idea of recharging in a flock pile. "I'd love to stay and catch up with everybody."

"Mm, good," Res said, kissed his creation's helm, and settled in with him to enjoy the evening. 

* * *

"Can I get you anything else?" Skywarp asked as he nuzzled the back of Starscream's neck.

"No," Starscream murmured, completely relaxed. "Just some peace and quiet." 

"All right," Skywarp said, containing his grief as he stood and warped out. He landed on the roof of their eyrie, scattered with lounges and plush pillows, a space that they didn't use nearly as much as Skywarp would have thought. He sighed and sank down into one of the piles of pillows. He wanted to go home--his first home--his _real_ home, he still thought privately--but if he did that his flock would know really just how unhappy he was. They might try to pull him out of the trining, and that would topple over the previous little they had in the world and pull them into deep scandal that would stain all the flocks they were connected with. It wasn't worth it. _He_ wasn't worth it. The flock was so much more important than the individual.

His vents stuttered a bit and he held back of low sob. He'd do this for his flock, for the little ones he'd helped create, but it didn't make it hurt any less. An affectionless, all-business trine, a distant flock, more resources than any of them needed and there was no joy in sharing everything they had together. Skywarp could barely imagine a more lonely existence.

His wings shuddered and he buried his face in his hands and tried to forget how much it hurt.

"Skywarp?" A low rumble startled him out of his thoughts to realize it was dark.

He tried to still his wings and looked up at his Order, his vents still jagged and hitching despite how hard he was trying to still them. "Oh," he said. "Um--" His voice was staticky from the sobbing. "H-hey." 

"Hello," Thundercracker squatted next to him. "What happened?"

Skywarp shook his helm. "Nothing," he mumbled. 

Thundercracker reached out to put a hand on his wing and stroked it gently. "I'm trine. You can talk to me. I can't fix what I don't know about."

Skywarp just shook his helm quickly.

"Skywarp." Thundercracker's voice was a gentle command.

Skywarp whined. "I don't want you to be angry with me!" he blurted. 

Thundercracker frowned and shifted to crouch in front of Skywarp. "I am your Order. It is my _duty_ to take care of you. That includes dealing with whatever has you upset."

"It isn't even something you can fix," Skywarp mumbled, wings drooping. He felt as much as teeked Thundercracker's shock at the assertion and realized belatedly just how rare such a thing must be.

"Skywarp, tell me. I can fix more than you imagine." Thundercracker insisted. His tone was not yet a full order, but it was headed that way.

Skywarp shook his helm again and felt the air tighten as a low rumble surrounded them.

"Let me help," Thundercracker repeated, with more care in his voice than Skywarp thought he had ever heard from his Order before.

He shook in another sob, and couldn't stay silent. "I hate being here!" he exclaimed, then immediately covered his mouth with his hands and cringed. "I hate being in this trine," he added, the words mumbled, as he figured it couldn't get worse.

Instead of exploding in rage, though there was no doubt the Seeker was deeply insulted, Thundercracker stilled and waited for the burst of emotion to pass. Young as he was he'd been trained well how to lead already and understood that speaking while upset was a poor choice.

It took several long kliks but he managed.

"Why do you hate it?" Thundercracker insisted. "Details."

"...You're not angry?" Skywarp asked timidly. 

"Angry, no. Upset, yes. I am your trine Order. I should have realized you were this unhappy long ago," Thundercracker sighed. "I've failed that duty and more, I do not have a clue why you are miserable with us."

Skywarp sighed and drooped. "It's nothing you can fix, anyway," he said. "I guess I just ... I had this idea of what being trined would be like and it's my own fault for having stupid dreams anyway." 

"What was that dream?" Thundercracker prodded.

"I guess, something like what my creators have," Skywarp said, rubbing at his optics. He sat up a little straighter and hugged his legs to his chest. "They're always really open with each other. They're really close, they like spending time together. All the trines in my flock do. I guess I'm just ... lonely. I'll get used to it, though, I promise I will," he added quickly. 

"I'm sorry I misjudged you so much. It went so well with Starscream," Thundercracker sighed. "Didn't you have friends outside the flock?"

"Not the appropriate kind," Skywarp said with a small smile and a shrug of his wings.

"Why?" Thundercracker's tone was surprisingly gentle. "Why is it so difficult to make friends with your current peers?"

Skywarp shrugged again. "Don't know if I've really tried? I have my search and rescue friends, they're really fun. I keep thinking I'll be busier with my trine than I end up being." 

"Have you been to the clubs? There are at least a dozen," Thundercracker suggested as much as asked.

"Kinda boring," Skywarp said, then huffed. "Not all that bad, I guess ... shouldn't have to go to clubs because I feel lonely at home," he added in a mutter. 

Thundercracker sighed. "No, you shouldn't be bored or lonely at home. How much time do you really want? What would make home less lonely?"

"I don't know," Skywarp said with an irritated flick of his wings. "You two were never unclear about what you wanted. I shouldn't have expectations of you." 

"Just because you are the newest member and our Action does not mean you are without voice in how this trine functions," Thundercracker told him firmly. "Don't forget that. We do need to know what would make you happy to provide it though."

Skywarp's wings flicked again and his optics cycled in surprise. "I..." He trailed off, and sat in silence for a while, hugging his legs and staring out over the city. "I always wanted romance and courting," he finally said with a small smile. "Something really classic. I thought we'd get to know each other that way, since we didn't have normal courting." 

"Courting?" Thundercracker repeated, somewhat at a loss for words. "Dates, flying together, gifts and such?"

"Well why not?" Skywarp asked him. "That's what most trines do. They just do it _before_ they're trines."

"Just surprised," Thundercracker shrugged. "I can't say I see much of that around here, though I never paid much attention either," he admitted. "I'm willing to try though."

"Really?" Skywarp perked a little. "I thought you hated all of that stuff." 

"I don't hate it. I simply do not understand it," Thundercracker explained. "I don't normally make time for things I don't understand the value of. If it is important to you, I will try."

"Okay," Skywarp said with a hopeful teek. "Thank you." 

Thundercracker smiled slightly and patted Skywarp's shoulder. "Now shall we go annoy our Vision for a few joors?"

"He already kicked me out," Skywarp said, wings drooping. 

Thundercracker chuckled. "Watch and learn, my Action. Handling Starscream takes a strong will and stubborn streak as wide as his."

"But he's carrying," Skywarp said, following after his Order as Thundercracker started to head inside. 

"So?" Thundercracker glanced at his Action.

"So ... shouldn't we do what he wants?" Skywarp asked, growing more curious than concerned. 

"Up to a point. Starscream is bossy by nature, but you can learn how to tell when he's serious and when he's just being a glitch for the sake of it," Thundercracker shrugged.

"Ohh." Skywarp paused for a moment to think about that, then hurried after. "You are really good at handling him." 

"I have practice, but we also have much in common in what we want. We really did try to pick out and Action that was like us," Thundercracker explained.

"And you got me instead," Skywarp said with a sigh. "I guess I was trying to be serious when they were asking me all those questions ... but I definitely didn't say I wanted anything like you and Star. Um, not that you and Star are bad, just..." Skywarp trailed off, inwardly kicking himself. 

"We don't want what you do out of a trine," Thundercracker accepted the truth. "So now the three of us need to work out an arrangement that will work for us."

"Think Starscream might sometimes let me dote on him?" Skywarp asked. 

That stopped Thundercracker in his tracks and he turned to face Skywarp with real concern in his wings. "He doesn't want any attention from you?"

"He lets me polish him but he doesn't really let me woo him like I want to?" Skywarp said hesitantly. 

"Ah," Thundercracker relaxed. "Then he may let you dote on him, but you'll have to put up with him grumbling about it."

"Why does he do that?" Skywarp asked curiously as they continued walking. 

"I'm not sure. It's just what Starscream is," Thundercracker shrugged as they entered the berthroom. "He has significant social issues."

"Oh," Skywarp said, and hummed. "Maybe we can help him with it." 

"I don't need help!" Starscream's snarl echoed out from the nest.

"Perhaps, but you are going to be nice to your trine tonight," Thundercracker rumbled back with a hint of amusement.

"I would rather have peace and quiet, thank you," Starscream said primly. "And _I'm_ the one carrying." 

"Which is why, even more than our agreement, you are going to have neither peace nor quiet," Thundercracker chuckled as they worked their way into the center of the nest. "It's time for them to get transfluid and know our fields."

Starscream glared at him. "This isn't on the schedule," he complained.

"Then your memory is failing along with your manners," Thundercracker shrugged. "It won't get you out of your duties."

Starscream huffed and set his wings in a sulk.

"You'll feel better after being filled," Skywarp trilled, coaxing his Vision as he crawled forward and ran a hand along the upper edge of one pouting wing. It pressed into the touch despite Starscream's effort to ignore it and the heat of Thundercracker's weight above him.

Thundercracker smiled. "How can you expect us to keep away, when you're so tempting?" the Order purred. "Even more so now."

"Mm. I suppose that is true," Starscream said with a heavy, exaggerated sigh.

"It's cruel to keep us away," Skywarp joined in, pressing his mouth against the wing.

"And you'll feel so much better," Thundercracker continued. "You'll have more energy, it'll be easier to concentrate."

Starscream arched up a little, a soft sigh escaping him. "Oh, very well," he said, voice only barely steadier than his quivering wings. His valve cover snapped open without a command and the sensation of Thundercracker's spike drew a whine of want from Starscream. It made Skywarp's engines rev as he pressed in next to Thundercracker and reveled in how easily Starscream had allowed them in. He made a note to start paying more attention to how Thundercracker coaxed their Vision, and settled in with his trine, feeling better than he had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Fandom: Transformers G1 AU  
> Author: gatekat, vaevade on LJ  
> Pairings: Skywarp/Starscream/Thundercracker  
> Characters: Skywarp, Starscream, Thundercracker  
> Rating: NC-17  
> Codes: AU, Arranged Bondings, Sticky, Mech Preg  
> Summary: When Skywarp is chosen for a royal's trine, he has no idea just how different things are in that flock.
> 
> Disclaimer: The authors are only playing with their own twisted muses. Transformers belong to Hasbro. Fandom-side, check the inspirations page <http://www.gatekat-fics.livejournal.com/290.html>. We draw from a ton of amazing stories and authors you should read. 
> 
> nanoklik = 1/8 second;   
>  klik = 496 nanokliks/62 seconds;   
>  breem = 8 kliks/8.27 minutes;   
>  groon = 9 breem/1.24 hours;   
>  joor = 6 groon/7.44 hours;   
>  orn = 42 joor/13.02 days;   
>  decaorn = 32 orns/1.14 years;   
>  metacycle = 8 decaorn/9.22 years;   
>  vorn = 9 metacycles/72 decaorn/83 years;   
>  ::text:: comm chatter  
>  ~text~ hardline/bond chatter


End file.
